Two Sides Of The Same Coin
by The Dark Heroine
Summary: Sky Driver has a mysterious past, a confusing present, but a future too impossible to predict - will she choose good... or evil? Peter Petrelli/OC/Sylar
1. Arrival

**The Two Sides Of The Same Coin **

The young woman took one last look at her Mum waving frantically at her, before stepping through the barrier into the departure lounge.

Rubbing a hand across her eyes to prevent tears from falling, she strode past the security, dragging her weighty hand-luggage behind her.

Taking a deep breath, Sky let out a pent-up breath and gazed at her surroundings. The airport lounge was typically busy and noisy, with a collection of expensive, flashy displays advertising anything from food to clothes. She glanced disinterestedly through the polished glass windows, before eventually turning, bored, towards the restaurant in a search for a decent seat.

A few bored passer-bys glanced at the young woman as she walked confidently through the crowd towards the café. Sky ignored the vaguely curious onlookers, she wasn't bothered by the strange looks and simply pretended not to notice.

Sighing deeply, Sky pulled out a chair and dumped her luggage by her feet before leaning back to relax into the seat.

Sky watched wistfully as a couple with a young child entered the restaurant and sat on a nearby table. The child's laughter rang out merrily through the room as its mother stroked its hair gently.

Sky once again thought back to her own family, her mother who was probably still waiting in the airport to see if her daughter would change her mind. But Sky knew deep down that she had made the right choice. She had lived with her parents all of her life, and she had jumped at the chance to finally get off their backs and start her own life.

Reaching into her rucksack, Sky took out the job application once again, carefully smoothing out the crinkled, grubby piece of paper. She still remembered the feeling of elation she had felt when her boss had decided to give her the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go to America.

**Flashback:**

"Sky, of all the people in this office, you are one of the most skilled and impressive people I have had the privilege of working with. You have exceeded my highest expectations and deserve this more than anyone." Her boss told her with a kind smile as he handed her an envelope.

Sky looked down at the life-changing letter, then back up at her boss who nodded reassuringly.

Tearing open the envelope, Sky was stunned as a one-way ticket to New York fell from the ripped envelope, onto her outstretched hand. Her fingers trembling in excitement, she looked up to meet her boss's sparkling eyes.

"But…Steve…surely not…?"

"Sky, this job was originally assigned to me – as one of the most well-known reporters in our area. But honestly, I am happy to stay here, and I know how much you've always wanted to travel – but instead you're stuck in our office writing for our local newspaper. We all know you're meant for greater things, and that's why I'm asking you to take the job." Steve enthused.

"I-I really do not know what to say... except, well, thank you!" Sky replied, thrilled. "But, there is one thing… I mean, what about my family? Will they be ok without me? And how long until I'd be able to return?"

"You haven't even gone on your assignment and you're already thinking about returning?" Steve asked in amusement, his eyes twinkling.

"No! That's not what I meant!" She protested quickly, before sending him a small smile, "I just want to make sure my family's alright with this too… I want to do it – I really do, but my family matters too."

"I know Sky, but sometime you must leave and take care of yourself. Anyway, as for how long… well, it's currently an indefinite period of time… really, it's until you find out enough about what you came for. Enough to write a decent article anyway!" He joked.

"Thank you Steve – thank you so much… I won't let you down." Sky promised before giving her boss a friendly embrace.

**Present:**

Sky remembered the feeling of unsinkable happiness she had felt for the last few months counting down to her assignment. She remembered how her mother and father had been so overjoyed to hear her news, but she noticed their sadness of having to finally let their daughter go. Sky still felt guilty as she remembered her mother's brave face when she had hugged her daughter tightly, kissing her cheek affectionately before whispering a strained goodbye.

Dragging her mind back to her present situation, Sky stretched leisurely then glanced down at her watch. She swiftly jumped to her feet as she realised her plane was only minutes away from leaving and cursed herself for being so careless.

Snatching her bags up from the floor, she sprinted hastily towards departures as a woman's clinical voice rang through the lounge.

"Flight 709 to New York will depart in 5 minutes." The voice announced.

"Damn, damn, damn!" Sky cursed, resisting the temptation to utter ruder oaths as she ran to join the end of a large, rowdy queue.

"Come on!" She muttered under her breath, shifting impatiently as the queue gradually moved forward inch by inch.

Her heart pounded impatiently as Sky hastily shoved her passport and flight ticket into the flight-assistant's hands before finally emerging out into the cool, open air of the airfield.

Breathing a sigh of relief as the refreshing breeze ran gently fingers through her long hair, Sky followed the line towards a large, powerful-looking aeroplane.

She smiled briefly at the air hostess as she boarded the plane, once again flashing her ticket.

Sky instinctively turned in surprise as the hostess reached out to grab her shoulder gently. "Excuse me miss, but I believe you're in first class."

"What? No way!" Sky exclaimed in disbelief before checking her ticket. "Oh yeah!"

The air hostess gave an amused smile before pointing towards the first class area of the plane.

"Thank you." Sky said happily, before bouncing cheerily down the isle of luxury until she found her perfect, comfortable seat next to the window and carefully laid her bag by her feet. "This is what I call travelling in style!"

"Couldn't agree more." A soft American voice concurred.

Sky's head jerked up abruptly, cricking her neck as she acknowledged a tall, rather handsome man standing next to her seat.

"Hope you don't mind, but I'm supposed to be sitting here." He explained, in the same gentle voice as he sat himself on the adjoining luxury seat with a charming, crooked smile.

"Sure, that's no problem." Sky replied with her own small smile as she glanced him over quickly.

He was quite young, but a few years older than Sky herself. He wore a long cream coat over a sweater and jeans, and as he removed his sunglasses she met a pair of beautiful, deep brown eyes.

Her smile turned into an amused grin as he ineffectively tucked a lock of his silky dark hair behind his ear, which stubbornly sprang back to its original position.

Grinning back cheekily, his eyes sparkling, the man discreetly returned the young woman's curious glance. She was of average height and was wearing all black clothing, but in contrast, her waist-length hair was naturally dark blonde streaked with lighter shades of gold. She had unfathomable, mysterious, greyish-green eyes, and her dark eyebrows gave her a serious look.

"I'm Peter by the way." Peter introduced himself politely, holding out his hand.

"Sky. Nice to meet you." Sky replied, shaking his hand firmly, before looking back towards the window.

Sky had taken a degree in psychology a few years back, but she still felt awkward around strangers. Unsure how to act, she tried to be pleasant towards other people but preferred to remain quiet, reserved and safe.

Sky's skin tingled slightly as she realised Peter was watching her with interest, his eyes shining with a caring concern. Shifting uneasily in her seat, the young woman decided to make an attempt at conversation, hoping to distract him from his staring.

"So do you come from New York then?" She asked, causing the young man to jump at her unexpected question.

"Yeah, my brother sent me to Britain to run an errand for him, but to be honest I think he was just trying to get me out of his way." Peter replied.

"Sounds like a charming guy." Sky commented sarcastically.

"Nathan's got good intentions really, and he is my brother." He paused for a moment, "What about you? You're English right?"

"Yep. I've just been assigned a job in New York – thanks to my boss."

"Really? What do you do?" Peter asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"Heh, me? I'm a reporter. I was writing for our local newspaper, but my boss was asked to do this assignment, he decided he didn't want to leave England and offered it to me." Sky smiled at Peter.

"Wow! Lucky!" Peter beamed at her, "So, what's this assignment?"

"Er… well, this is where it's difficult… cause it's sort of hush-hush – sorry, but basically I'm writing a long, detailed report about something which, depending on its success, may, or may not be published."

There was a moment of silence as they listened to the woman's voice announce that the plane was about to take off. Within moments, Sky felt the usual exhilaration of flying into the air at a high speed and her insides somersaulting, before the plane gradually evened out to drift dreamily through the cloudy mountain peaks.

"So Peter, what did you say you do?" Sky asked as the engines faded to a dull throbbing.

"I didn't." He said with a crooked smirk before continuing, "I'm a nurse in New York but my brother gave me some leave so I could do his errand."

"Oh. A nurse… well, I wouldn't have guessed, but I suppose it fits."

"Fits?" Peter inquired, raising an eyebrow in query.

"Yup. So tell me, what is there to know about New York?"

"Well," Peter began, once again brushing his unruly, dark bangs out of his face to little effect. "Where to start? It's a dark, fascinating, unpredictable place to live in, but full of danger and excitement."

"Ha, well what's life without danger?"

"Boring I s'pose. But you still gotta be careful." He stopped again, gazing out the window at the cloudy landscape; another world, untouchable and beautiful.

"It doesn't look real does it?" Sky asked as she followed his gaze.

"No. But in a way, it isn't,.." Peter trailed off, before suddenly turning around to look straight into Sky's curious eyes. "Do you ever get the feeling that you're meant to do something… incredible?"

Sky's frowned slightly at his eccentric question. "I'm not sure I quite understand what you mean." She said slowly.

"Just… doing something, something that would make a difference…"

"Mmm. Not really, I'm just normal - your average 20 year old reporter!" Sky replied evasively, but she couldn't help remembering what her boss had said: _You're meant for greater things, and that's why I'm asking you to take the job._

Her frown deepened as she pensively bit her lip, oblivious to Peter's enquiring gaze.

Peter raised his eyebrow at Sky's unusual reaction before shrugging it off and cursing himself for mentioning his foolish hopes in front of her, but he was quickly broken out of his thoughts as the young woman began to speak again.

"I don't know really. Depends what you call making a difference."

"Yeah." He gave a soft chuckle. "When I was a kid, I always wished I could do something extraordinary – fly, help people… my family always thought I was a dreamer and here I am, a nurse."

"There's nothing wrong with being a dreamer – trust me, I'm an expert!" Sky announced, causing Peter to laugh. "But don't all people wish that they had super powers sometime? I mean, come on, who _wouldn't_ want to be able to fly?"

"Well, my brother Nathan for starters."

"He sounds like a right bundle of fun!" Sky said sarcastically.

"He's a politician."

"Ahh! _That's _why!" She said with dawning realisation, making Peter chuckle again.

Their conversation was interrupted as an air hostess came over with a trolley and offered the pair beverages and food. Sky politely declined, whereas Peter bought himself a cheese sandwich.

"So," He continued through a large mouthful of his sandwich, "Where are you actually staying in New York?"

"Er… wait a sec…" Sky said, before reaching into her rucksack to produce an information leaflet. "I'm in Ohio Ave, Long Beach, New York – apparently."

Peter raised his eyebrows.

"What? Do you know where it is?"

"Roughly, yeah. It's near Queens, but it sounds like you're living right near the beach."

"Yay!" Sky said in a surprising outburst, causing Peter to give the usually composed young woman a curious glance before laughing. She blushed slightly, embarrassed at her own unusually relaxed behaviour.

"I live on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, so it's not that far away." Peter told her, once he had stopped laughing and replaced it with a friendly grin once he saw her baffled expression.

"Sorry, I hardly know anything about Geography – much less New York! But I tried to brush up a bit before the journey, so exactly how far away is Ohio Ave from Manhattan?"

"About 45 minutes, maybe more, maybe less." He shrugged, as he put the remains of his unwanted sandwich aside.

"Well, I've never been to New York before, I think I'll probably need some help to find my way around." Sky said without thinking, then, realising how it might have been interpreted she blushed self-consciously. "Anyway, I think I'll sleep for a bit now. I had to get up really early this morning." She gushed in an attempt to avoid any awkwardness.

"Oh. Sure, okay." Peter replied, puzzled. He had been planning to suggest that he could to be her guide, but her sudden change in attitude prevented him from offering. "Here, you might want to use this." Peter offered kindly, handing her an aeroplane sleeping mask.

"Pink?" Sky queried with a small smile.

"Yeah, sorry. Not your colour then?" Peter apologised, unable to stop a crooked grin spreading across his face.

"Nah, I'm more of a blue person."

"Me too. Anyway, have a good sleep, it's a long journey."

"I will." Sky said with a softer voice, before placing the sleeping mask over her head.

She declined her seat, laid back, and in a random action, lifted her thumb and index finger into a diver's 'ok' sign causing Peter to chuckle with mild amusement.

Yawning, Sky turned over towards the window and squirmed into a more comfortable position before closing her eyes.

"Oh, and Peter, thank you." She murmured, loud enough for him to hear.

"That's ok." He whispered in response, a smile still fixed to his face as he watched the girl's normally serious face, gradually soften to a gentler, more vulnerable expression as she fell asleep.

"Sky, we're almost there." A soft voice broke through Sky's fragmented dreams, but she chose to ignore it.

"Sky, come on. Wake up!" The voice said, laced with amusement.

A warm, comforting feeling engulfed her hand as the young woman gradually began to open her eyes.

Giving a giant yawn, Sky curiously lifted the face mask to find her other hand enclosed in a comforting, warm and gentle grip.

"Sky! I thought you'd never wake!" Peter exclaimed, releasing her hand once he released she was awake.

"Yeaaaahhhhhh." Sky replied as she stretched leisurely, her head was still slightly fuzzy from sleep, but clear enough to wonder why Peter had been holding her hand. "What time is it?"

"About 11.45pm in New York, so you'll get back to your apartment in about… 30 minutes - do you have a ride?" He asked in concern.

"Not yet, I'm going to get a taxi back but I should be getting a vehicle of some sort sometime tomorrow." Sky smiled at his sweet manner.

"I'm not sure about this… things can get a bit… rough, this late…" Peter frowned, seeming as if he was going to say more, but decided against it.

Sky continued to feel tired and jetlagged as the plane landed then Peter accompanied her to the baggage carousel. She swayed with fatigue as the machine aggressively spewed suitcases and boxes onto the conveyor belt.

Peter noticed that Sky was still unsteady on her feet, and moved forward cautiously to prepare for any possible incidents. However, Sky stubbornly refused to let the dizziness affect her and persisted in trying to find her suitcase as Peter hovered around her edgily.

"Sky, do you want some help?" He asked in concern.

Sky glanced up at him unsteadily and gave him a stern, kind, but meaningful look. She didn't want to be considered weak and incapable; she was an independent adult now.

"I'm fine Peter. Just a bit tired." Sky said firmly, holding back another yawn.

Eventually, they emerged, exhausted, from the baggage carousel with Peter pushing the luggage trolley to his insistence.

"Finally! Fresh air!" Sky exclaimed running through the automatic doors like a small child and twirling around happily in the pleasantly cool, evening air.

Peter chuckled, his eyes sparkling as he watched the young woman run back towards him before wrestling the trolley from his grip.

"Hey!" He protested as the recently recovered Sky pulled away quickly as he tried to grab it back.

"Haha! Now I have the trolley!" She announced, grinning mischievously as she drove the baggage trolley towards the taxi area.

Peter sighed with mock weariness, brushing his unruly hair out of his eyes before smiling widely and running after the cheeky girl and his luggage.

"Wait up!" Peter called, sprinting after the young woman and joining in with her infectious laughter.

Other passengers from their flight watched them with disdain, obviously assuming that the pair were drunk as Peter proceeded to chase the young woman around the taxi waiting area.

As he gained on Sky, Peter noted with interest how she had seemed to change from a restrained, solemn, serious individual into a carefree and mischievous little girl.

Reaching out his hand, he finally managed to grab hold of the teasing Sky. He gently moved her aside with his hands on her waist, then proceeded to gain control of the trolley, steering it away from the kerb at a more sensible pace.

Sky giggled breathlessly, holding her sides from the running as Peter smirked triumphantly, but the moment was soon ruined as a loud car-horn blasted and a long, sleek black limo pulled up next to the trolley.

Lifting his hand to unsuccessfully push his dark bangs away from his eyes, Peter's face fell abruptly as his eyes fell on the dark limo.

The young man turned to Sky with a glum expression on his face, his eyes no longer twinkling, but darker and more serious, his eyebrows drawn together in a worried frown.

"I've got to go now." He muttered gloomily, diverting his eyes from Sky's.

"Oh, your brother I presume?"

"Yeah. Nathan." Peter said, even quieter as his eyes flicked reluctantly towards the waiting limo.

"Ok, well, I hope you have a good journey!" Sky said, quickly covering her disappointment of his sudden departure.

Peter sensed her pretence, and dragged his eyes from the shiny paint on the black car to Sky's deep, shadowed eyes.

"If you ever need anything, just ask-" Peter began with a kind seriousness before the horn blared again, causing the pair to jump and the onlookers to frown disapprovingly.

Taking a step towards the limo, Peter turned back quickly to Sky and handed her a small, torn piece of paper from his pocket. Sky unfolded it to find his mobile number and smiled to herself, realising that he must have written it down whilst she was sleeping – just in case.

"Thank you Peter. I'll see you around." Sky said with a grin, amused by his kind considerateness.

"Sure will. This is New York, so everyone runs into each other sooner or later." Peter replied with a strained smile.

Sky started slightly, her heartbeat increasing as Peter tentatively took a step towards the young woman, entering her area of personal space. She watched, tensed, as he tenderly laid his hands on her shoulders, looking deep into her eyes with an intensely caring expression.

"Goodnight Sky."

"Goodbye Peter." Sky responded quietly, her eyes unusually soft.

Peter sent her one more charming, crooked smile, and gently lifted his hands from her shoulders, letting one briefly cup her cheek – but what would've happened next would always be a complete mystery as they were rudely interrupted by a car door slamming loudly and sharp, brisk footsteps approaching rapidly from behind.

Sky turned instinctively to see a tall figure in a smart suit grab hold of Peter's arm, swinging him around to face him.

"Pete! What the hell do you think you're playing at?" Demanded a cold, brusque voice.

"Nothing Nathan. I'm just coming." Peter replied with a hint of annoyance, removing his arm from his brother's vice-like grip.

Peter turned and sent one last look at Sky, before turning back to the waiting limo and climbing in reluctantly.

Peering through the dim glow of airport lights, Sky managed to make out a few of the notorious Nathan's features; he had a strong jaw and a straight nose, his hair was dark and ruffled by the night-time wind, his eyebrows were creased into a frown not so unlike Peter's and his eyes held a determined intensity as he sent her an icy, scornful glare before turning back to his limo, without a word.

Sky watched in a sad silence as the sleek limo pulled away from the kerb, its engine purring softly like a fireside cat.

As the limo passed under a glaring orange streetlamp, the number plate reflected the light like a miniature mirror and Sky briefly glimpsed the registration.

'N PETRELLI' she read, her mouth falling open in disbelief as the name flooded back to her – surely it couldn't be _the_ Nathan Petrelli? Candidate for New York Congressman?

She stood dumbly by the side of the road, not able to believe that she had just made friends with the brother of one of the most devious men alive.

Sky was broken out of her reverie as an available taxi pulled up alongside her, and a tall, handsome, Indian-looking man looked out with his arm casually rested on the open window.

"Do you need a ride?" He called in an intelligent, but slightly accented voice.

"Yes please." Sky replied as she walked back towards the trolley to retrieve her suitcase, but found, to her surprise, that the driver was already dragging it towards the taxi and shoving it into the boot.

Sky smiled at him gratefully before clambering into the back of the car where he sent her a dazzling white smile in return.

"So where to my friend?" He inquired with a warm, Indian accent.

"Er…" Sky pulled out her new address again and read it to the driver. "Ohio Ave, Long Beach, New York, and apparently it's near a place called Queens." She added in an attempt to be helpful.

"Yes." The Indian man confirmed with a quick nod, before pulling out onto the road. "So my guess is that you're not from around these parts?"

"Could say that! It's my first time visiting America, so it's all new to me."

"How long are you hear for?" He asked out of interest.

"Oh, erm, an 'indefinite amount of time' according to my boss." Sky said, using her fingers as quotation marks.

The driver chuckled softly, before clearing his throat and looking left and right for any traffic as they stopped at a junction.

"What about you? Are you from around here?"

"No, I came back from India when I heard about the death of my father." He suddenly turned quiet for a moment, making Sky feel somehow guilty for his pain.

"I'm sorry." The young woman said sincerely, but the driver simply looked into his rear-view mirror and sent her a small smile.

"Don't be, he hardly knew me."

Sky didn't know how to respond to this, so the remainder of the journey was spent in a mutual silence as the driver brooded thoughts about his deceased father, and Sky wondered how a person like Peter Petrelli could have such an awful, cold-hearted brother.

Finally, they arrived outside her new apartment, the sea air refreshing and cool on Sky's face.

"How much?" She asked, reaching in her pocket for US money.

The handsome driver stepped out, revealing his perfect physique as he towered above her with another perfect smile and removed her suitcase from the boot, carefully handing it to the pink-cheeked young woman.

"$25." Sky wordlessly handed him the money with a small smile, "I hope you enjoy your time in New York."

"Thank you, and I hope everything turns out for you." She replied politely, before taking a step towards her temporary new home.

Sky spared a moment to wave at the driver as he drove away, before turning to her apartment.

The young woman felt a rush of excitement as she strode up the drive to her new apartment. Glancing around briefly, she noted that the area seemed quite pleasant in the dim light of the street lamps and the ominous glow of the silver moon. The sea gushed gently, barely audible over the swish of night traffic as Sky paused outside her front door, rooting around in her coat pocket until her hand closed around the cold metal of her keys. Carefully inserting them into the lock, she twisted them easily before firmly pushing the door open to take her first step into her new house.

Sighing, the young woman smiled contentedly as she dropped her baggage by the door and walked slowly into the moonlit lounge, her tired eyes attracted to the comfortable looking sofa. Without warning, Sky swayed wearily, falling limply onto the soft couch, exhausted, and before she could protest, she had fallen into a deep sleep.

Behind a nearby house, a dark figure watched the girl jump out the taxi, talk to the driver, before waving as the vehicle drove away. He watched, as still and silent as a panther observing its prey, as the young woman unlocked her door then shut and carefully locked it behind her.

After a few moments, he strode purposefully across the deserted street, the dim lamps sending threatening shadows onto the ground as his black coat flapped eerily in a nonexistent breeze.

The figure trod silently across the drive until he reached the front window. He peered through the murky glass at the girl's exhausted form slumped carelessly on the sofa. Then withdrew, a dark, self-conceited, satisfied smirk fixed beneath the shadowed peak of his cap.

"Sleep well _Sky_ – for now…"

_**I know basically naught about America, so sorry if my Geographical locations etcetera are a bit off… I did try using Wikipedia to help me – so hopefully it's ok.**_

_**Anyways, hope the story's alright, I'm thinking that when I get writers block on this, I'll move back onto the Doctor Who story, and vice-versa.**_

_**Please tell me what you think.**_

_**~ TheMastersDaughter**_


	2. Shadows

**The Two Sides Of The Same Coin**

Sky woke abruptly to the loud, head-ringing rap of someone's knuckles on her door. She groggily dragged herself out of bed, tiredly rubbing the sleep from her eyes and brushing a few stray strands of hair from her face.

Sky sighed wearily, passing a hand over her forehead as her dark dreams faded from memory. She rose to her feet, then stretched her aching muscles before glaring at her watch to find that it was almost one a clock in the afternoon.

Her thoughts were interrupted by another impatient knock, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Alright! I'm coming!" Sky called, muttering curses under her breath as she ran a brush through her hair whilst striding towards the front door.

Hurriedly, she stuffed the key in the lock, jiggled it around and yanked the door open to reveal a rather surprised young man in a business suit.

The man looked at her slightly sceptically, taking in her baggy eyes, messy hair and annoyed expression, then held out a clipboard.

"Good morning. Is this Miss Driver's residence?" He asked with a voice full of cynicism.

"Yep, that's me." Sky replied, covering her mouth as she yawned and rubbing her aching forehead.

"Oh. Sorry to get you up." Sky glared at his obvious sarcasm, making the young man sober up slightly. "Could you sign this form?"

Sky squinted with bleary eyes as she accepted the clipboard and held it out in front of her, attempting to read the text which kept dancing out of focus while she tried, unsuccessfully, to read the first line.

Sighing impatiently, the young man began reading it out to her, assuming her incapable of reading it herself, which, in all honesty, was probably true, Sky admitted to herself.

"Your new boss has sent you this form to register your new vehicle which will arrive in a few moments, all you need to do is sign the dotted line." He explained, pointing, quite unnecessarily to the bottom of the page.

"Yes. Thank _you_."

Sky glared at the man's despicable attitude before accepting the pen he had offered in his outstretched hand and scribbling her rough signature on the dotted line.

"This way." He said snootily, as he pulled the clipboard out of her hands, and led the way to the bottom of her drive.

Sky tapped her foot impatiently, and glared at the snobbish man's back as they waited for the delivery.

Minutes later, a roaring black motorbike screeched around the corner of the road, before zooming down towards them and pulling up on the kerb, inches away from them.

They watched as the leather-clad figure dismounted, before pulling of her helmet and tossing her auburn hair in the sunlight.

The woman sent the man a dazzling smile, but saved the colder greeting for Sky.

"It's a beautiful machine and I'm sad to be letting it go – but what else can you do when a millionaire offers you a fortune for it?" She asked to no one in particular.

"What? Wait. That's … mine?" Sky stuttered in amazement.

"Yes. The equipment and protective clothing's in the trunk on the back." She gestured to a box fixed on the rear of the motorbike. "It reaches over 100 in no time – if you like driving fast. Now let's go Jonson, I can't stand seeing it go." The woman directed at the man, before carelessly chucking the keys towards Sky, who managed to catch them with her good reflexes. Just before climbing into his van, the man called back "Mr Linderman sends his regards." Then fixed an annoying smirk on his face as he slammed his door shut.

Sky hardly heard or acknowledged what he said, she was only transfixed by her new vehicle – she couldn't get over it. Sky had always wanted a motorbike, even since a young age, and this was like her dream come true.

After walking around, admiring the motor for several minutes, Sky decided to pull the box off the back of the bike and carefully carried it inside, laying it tenderly on the sofa.

Curious to see what was inside, she pulled the clasps open to reveal a pair of trousers, coat and gloves, all in leather, along with a helmet and flash sunglasses. Sky's mouth dropped open in disbelief of her new boss's generosity. Just as she reached to shut the box, she noticed a note written in neat handwriting. Her curiosity piqued, Sky unfolding the small square of paper and carefully smoothed the creases out.

_Dear Miss Driver,_

_I heard that your boss Steve was unable to take part in the assignment and has sent you in his place. He assures me that you are highly capable and well accomplished, and I hope to see proof of these claims._

_I hope that everything is to your satisfaction as I will be ringing you at 2 o clock to discuss your first assignment,_

_Remember what you are here for,_

_Best Wishes,_

_D. Linderman_

Mystified, Sky held up the piece of paper '_What you are here for? - What's that supposed to mean?' _She thought with a frown. It occurred to her momentarily, that maybe Steve hadn't told her everything about this assignment, on the other hand, Sky was enjoying her new life of luxury.

Setting the note back down on the table, Sky glanced at her watch to find she had about 30 minutes until the enigmatic Mr Linderman rang her.

Yawning again, Sky wished she could try out her new motorbike, but realised that she'd never be back in time for the call – especially as she hardly knew the area, but hopefully Mr Linderman would elaborate. Instead, she decided to explore her new house, having only seen the lounge and hall so far.

Sky was amazed by the sheer size of the house, which in addition, was generously furnished and nicely decorated. There were bookcases of novels and factual books in the hall, bedrooms and lounge, which delighted Sky – she had always loved reading. There was also a giant plasma screen in the lounge, a laptop on the desk in her room and a selection of food in the kitchen cupboards. Sky grinned happily, the house and everything about it seemed perfect, but she momentarily felt a stab of sadness as she wished she could show her Mum and Dad her new apartment.

_I'll phone them later._ Sky decided as she discovered a modern-looking phone next to a hi-fi set.

Sky's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the phone suddenly began to ring, jolting her out of her reverie. Glancing quickly down at her watch, she noticed that it was already 2 o clock, so presumably the caller would be the evasive Mr Linderman.

_And whoever Mr Linderman is, he must have a fair amount of money, and a considerable amount of power._ Taking a deep, calming breath, Sky answered the phone.

"Hello? This is Sky."

"Hello Sky. This is Daniel Linderman." Greeted a deep voice, which sounded English, to Sky's surprise.

"Mr Linderman-" Sky started.

"Please, call me Daniel."

"Er, ok, Daniel. I have a few questions…"

"Fire away." Liderman encouraged her.

"Okay, so firstly, why you chose Steve, of all reporters to do this, and what exactly am _I _supposed to be doing in all this?"

"Clarification is always an important part of understanding." There was a long pause. Sky wondered if he was going to continue, and was just about to ask again when Linderman started to speak. "Steve and I go back a long time. I entrusted him with this assignment, only be very disappointed when he informed me of his predicament, and you were his first choice as a capable replacement. He tells me you're quite the talented young reporter Sky."

"Thank you sir." Sky replied awkwardly, surprised to hear that Steve had been so complimentary. "I'm very flattered."

Linderman chuckled before continuing. "As for your assignment, the details were in the job description, and if Steve is right about your potential, then I am sure you can fill the gaps in."

"Oh. Ok." Sky said, feeling unsatisfied, but realising that the topic was closed. "So, this assignment for today, what is it?"

"Today, your assignment is to go down to the Park Ave construction site, see if anything unusual has happens." Linderman told her mysteriously.

"If you don't mind sir, please can I ask how you know something will happen?"

"I have my sources. If you get on with your job, I will go on with mine. And I want a report by tomorrow."

"Yes Mr Linderman." Sky agreed, after all, she had received tougher deadlines than this before.

"You'll find a map of the city underneath the coffee table, you should be able to find the site on there. Oh, and I took the liberty of putting some teabags in the kitchen, should you find yourself craving English beverages."

Sky laughed lightly, without really feeling amused. "Thank you very much sir. You are very kind. And thanks for the apartment and motorbike – I couldn't have asked for better."

"Good, good." He said vaguely. "Anyway, I must have that report by tomorrow, send it to me on the laptop."

"Will do. Goodbye Mr Linderman."

"Goodbye Sky."

She put the phone back down on its stand, feeling slightly exhausted.

Sky wasn't sure what to think about her new boss. He seemed generous enough, but there was something strange – missing, about him… she sighed before looking over at the sofa.

_So, my first assignment._ She thought, then grinned as she saw her motorbike out the window. _Oh yeah! We're going for a spin!_

Sky ran over to the sofa enthusiastically and quickly changed into the leather garments, itching to try out her new toy.

Finally, adding the dark shades to complete the image, Sky grinned at her appearance in the mirror, before stepping out the door and locking it behind her. Tucking the keys away safely in her bag and checking she had her notepad, Sky fixed the bag securely onto the motorbike's rear bag-wrack and leaped energetically onto her dream vehicle.

Sky turned the keys in the ignition, before compulsively revving the engine a few times with a giant grin on her face. _Lucky I bothered getting a licence to drive motorbikes! _She thought as she seated herself more comfortably and swiftly pulled away from the kerb towards the main road.

The ride was exhilarating as Sky had left her long hair flapping underneath her black helmet, the wind tore wildly at the girl, but she simply laughed at its attempts.

Sky stopped once to check the map, but soon reached the Park Ave construction site which Linderman had left directions to. As she approached the heavily scaffolded building, she glanced around for a place to park and slowed to a halt in a parking space.

Revisiting the temptation to look too smug, Sky dismounted elegantly from the motorbike.

A few people were milling around the nearby skyscrapers, walking past with a business-like haste. _Surely if there was a something worth writing about, there should be more people and journalists here_? Sky thought worriedly, a frown creasing her face as she gazed up at the towering, half-construed building.

After a few moments, the leather-clad young woman strode confidently towards the station, sweeping off her helmet as she reached the entrance, attracting a few stares from a few vacant workers.

As she reached the main entrance, she was confronted by one of the workers who looked her over curiously.

"Sorry love, but this buildings under maintainence at the moment – I'm afraid there's no public access allowed." He said in a friendly tone.

Sky looked up at him, amused, her demeanour unshaken by the minor hitch. "Ah, but I've got orders from a Mr…er…Linderman to be here." She justified, producing a paper as proof of identification and lifting her eyebrows, daring him to challenge her.

The young worker raised his eyebrows at the mention of Mr Linderman, before lifting a finger.

"Wait here a moment, I'll just double-check with my colleagues." He said, backing towards the doors and disappearing inside.

Tapping her foot impatiently, Sky became bored of waiting as the young worker failed to return, before she decided to take a look herself.

Checking that the other workers were preoccupied guffawing to each other in low voices whilst drinking beer, she pushed gently at the large entrance door and slipped through the gap, glancing warily around before striding across the wooden panels laid carelessly over the floor. Her footsteps echoed eerily around the silent area. The pungent smell of sawdust mixed with concrete reached Sky's nostrils as she took in the disorganised chaos of the work-site. Various building implements were left carelessly to rust in buckets of water, metal poles were leant insecurely against the walls and several tins of paint were scattered near a rubbish cart.

Suddenly, Sky stiffened, alert as she heard another pair of footsteps approaching rapidly from the opposite side of the room. Ducking behind a large, metal container of construction materials, she peered out and watched a different worker walk past, talking loudly into his mobile phone.

"...Yeah, apparently some random girl asked to come in... mentioned Linderman...I don't know, she didn't mention her name...no, it's my break now…ok, bye." Sky held her breath, as she resisted the urge to fidget into a more comfortable position.

Sky watched, motionless as the man stopped by the site's entrance, glancing around to see if the girl his colleague had mentioned was still outside, unsuccessful, he strolled away to join his fellow workers for their lunch break.

_Honestly, don't these people realise that journalists never give up that easily! I'd just better hope that other guy doesn't spot my motorbike! But I wonder who that worker-guy was talking to, I suppose it could've been his boss... but all sounds a bit suspicious to me… _Sky frowned again, then stepped out from behind the metal container, checking carefully for any additional workers, before padding silently across the muddy floor. Finding a stepladder up to next floor, Sky decided to climb it, slowly loosing hope that there was anything worth writing about in the area.

_Why couldn't Linderman have assigned me to something that's actually __**happened **__rather than something he __**thinks**__ will happen? _Sky asked herself.

Pulling herself up onto the next floor, Sky saw that it was deserted apart from a young blond girl who lying sprawled on the ground in the centre of the room, accompanied by a brunet youth who was talking to her in a hushed voice.

Straining her ears, Sky approached quietly, attempting to hear what the boy was saying.

"Claire… Claire – come on! We've got to get out of here before anyone sees us."

Sky frowned in confusion, noticing that the boy had a video camera in his hand. She felt slightly ill as she noticed one of the metal poles covered in blood lying next to the girl, a pool of her blood spreading and forming a gory river of crimson liquid.

"Ok Zach. Just got to-" Sky cringed as a loud snap reached her ears, the boy's body was blocking her vision of the girl, so she moved closer in an attempt to see what was happening.

"Oh my God." Sky whispered without thinking, as she caught site of the girl who was quite casually twisting her neck back into its correct position. There was a large amount of blood seeping from her throat onto her clothes, but Sky couldn't see a scratch one her.

The girl, whose cheerleader uniform was now stained with a large amount of blood, looked up guiltily at Sky to find the young woman watching with a mixed expression of horror and fascination.

The cheerleader stood up quickly, putting an arm out to settle the boy who had leapt forward protectively.

"Don't worry. This isn't what it looks like." She said calmly.

"I'm still trying to work out exactly what it is that it looks like…" Sky replied with wide eyes as she took in the cheerleader's bloodied appearance.

"I'm Claire. Claire Bennett." Claire introduced in an attempt to lessen the awkwardness. "And this is my friend Zach."

Zach stepped forward defensively. "We were just filming some stunts." He explained, making Sky's eyebrows rise in suspicion.

"Look, I have no idea what you were doing, and I'm not sure I want to know either but –"

Sky was interrupted as a tall man in a suit suddenly appeared from behind her, running across the wooden panels to rushing towards the cheerleader and her friend.

"Claire! Claire!" He shouted, pulling the slim girl into a rough embrace, then taking a step back to glare at her. "I let you come to New York on one condition, that you were _careful_- "

"But Dad I- "

"No Claire-Bear, you're coming back with me." He said, taking her arm and guiding the unwilling girl towards the stepladder, whilst Zach followed with the video camera hidden behind his back. "– _Now_." The man emphasised sternly.

Whilst he was preoccupied, Sky discreetly skulked behind the nearest rubbish container, hoping not to be noticed.

"Come out. I know you're there." The man called back, his voice echoing through the construction site.

Sky shifted uncomfortably, hoping that he wasn't addressing her. "Come on girl, then there's no need for anyone to get hurt."

Accepting defeat, Sky stepped out unwillingly, cautiously raising her head slowly to meet the man's shadowed eyes. Her breath caught sharply, as she registered the threatening black gun in his hands, which was aimed directly at her heart. The man was tall, and about 50 years of age, Sky estimated. He had a strong lower jaw and a pair of horn-rimmed glasses rested comfortably on his nose. His face, which had seemed caring and kind only moments ago, was now dark and merciless.

"Put your hands up." He ordered. "Now tell me, what did you see?"

"I don't know what you're playing at – whoever you are, but you have no right to aim a gun at me." Sky said firmly.

"You're English? A visitor I expect? So what were you doing here when it was supposed to be restricted access? Fancied a little stroll through the construction site?" He asked sarcastically, raising his eyebrows for emphasis.

"Tell me what you were doing, and I'll let you go unharmed." The man repeated.

Sky stubbornly ignored him, feeling edgy as he took a step closer, taking the safety catch off the gun.

"What are you doing?"

"Making sure my daughter is safe. Stand still and don't move." He replied as Sky suddenly became aware of someone walking up behind her. Spinning around reflexively, Sky found herself staring at a tall, serious-looking, dark-skinned man who strode towards her at a rapid pace across the wooden slats. Sensing that she was in danger, Sky felt fear give her a sudden surge of adrenalin, and before either the man in horn-rimmed glasses, or the dark-skinned man could react, she made a daring and unexpected run towards the abandoned stepladder.

She heard the sound of shots as the man with horn-rimmed glasses fired at her, the shots missed and exploded noisily into the floor. A shiver crept up her spine as she noticed that the dark-skinned, silent man was quickly catching up with her from the other direction.

Sky climbed down the stepladder as fast as she could, uttering a small yelp as she caught her foot in one of the rungs. Trying to ignore the agonising pain in her ankle, Sky sprinted across rough, slatted floor and dived towards the construction site's entrance.

The workers paused to watch as the young woman ran out of the building like demons were at her heels. One dropped their sandwich, observing with interest as she jumped onto her motorbike while two suited men emerged from the building, glanced around, then sprinted after her, shouting.

Her heart pounding in fear, Sky plunged the keys into the ignition, her hands shaking as she turned them in the lock, she sighed in relief as the engine roared into life. Just as the two armed men came within 10 metres of her, Sky kicked off and pulled away from the kerb at full speed, leaving the two men coughing in a cloud of exhaust smoke.

"Damn! I can't believe she got away. She didn't even use any powers!" The man in horn-rimmed glasses cursed angrily, glaring after the rapidly disappearing girl whilst tucking the gun back into his belt. "But we'll track her down, don't worry."

The solemn, dark-skinned man simply shrugged, wordless and emotionless, as always.

Sky tried to even her breathing, refusing to stop even to look at the map, just in case the two men were still following her. _So much for that Linderman. What am I supposed to say on the report? Two teens doing stunts are interrupted by psychotic father and silent scary black man? I'm sure that would go down well!_ She shook her head, trying to take in what had just happened.

Eventually, Sky began to slow down, realising that there was no pursuit. She pulled up by the side of the road, discovered a signpost and used the map to work out her route back home. To her surprise, she was only a few minutes away from her house, obviously her mind had somehow managed to remember the way.

Allowing a small smile to cross her face, Sky took a deep, calming breath then remounted her motorbike, stroking its reliable, glossy surface before starting it up and driving back to her house at a more sensible speed.

Sky parked the bike carefully outside on her extensive drive, relieved to be back in the relative safety of her new home. Removing her helmet and brushing her messy hair out of her face, Sky climbed off the motorbike and pulled out her door keys, to find herself welcomed by a warm gust of sweet-scented air as she stepped inside.

Wearily, Sky set down her helmet on a conveniently placed table and checked her phone for messages. Finding none, she walked over to her suitcase and started up her new laptop in an attempt to piece together some sort of interesting story about the construction site.

Sky scanned her brain for an interesting headline, but gradually began to daydream as she became more and more disinterested. The glowing, white screen was mesmerising as she gazed unseeingly at the monitor, her mind as blank as the untouched document in front of her, her notes strewn untidily over the desk next to her. Slowly, her eyes began to flicker closed, and before she knew it, she had fallen into a deep sleep.

Dark dreams plagued Sky's broken sleep, nightmares of shadowy figures that disappeared when she reached out to touch them, thoughts of girls swimming in pools of crimson blood and solemn men with guns pointed towards her heart.

Sky woke abruptly to a cool breeze which whistled quietly past her ear before blowing some stray notes on the floor, tossing them in the air like autumn leaves. But it didn't feel like autumn. Sky shivered uncomfortably as a chilling sensation spread through her body, like a deadly warning.

_I'm sure I closed the front door._ Sky thought to herself with a frown, trying to ignore her feelings as her teeth began to chatter uncontrollably in the cold air.

Lifting herself from the chair, Sky sighed as she walked into the hall to check the door. She quickly realised, to her astonishment, that it had been left wide open to the starless, New York night. Biting her lip, Sky imagined the terrible situations that could have occurred due to her carelessness, before hastily slamming the door shut and taking extra care to lock it.

Sky slowly drifted uneasily back into the lounge where she had fallen asleep, but the air still seemed unusually bitter. The girl shuddered, feeling as though ice was spreading through her body, her heart began to beat faster as she noticed that her notes, which were previously scattered untidily on the floor, were now stacked in a neat pile beside her laptop.

Glancing around unsurely, her heart pounding with adrenaline, Sky promptly noticed two words typed in large, bold letters on the computer screen. HELLO SKY.

Trying not to show her fear, Sky backed away warily, taking in every detail of the now sinister room, every dark corner a possible threat.

Suddenly, the girl froze as she felt herself back into something tall, hard, cold and breathing.

Instinctively, she wheeled around and took a step back whilst trying to keep her breath calm. Sky looked up fearfully to see a tall, shadowy, dark man whose facial features were obscured by a cap.

"Who are you-?" She started, before something collided heavily with her head and she collapsed, unconscious, onto the hard, tiled floor.

_**By the way, for those who haven't realised yet, this is meant to be set around the 1st Season, but she doesn't see everything that happens and isn't there at the Home Coming etc. Hope it's ok – next chapter I (think) Peter will return, and Sylar'll definitely be in it! Please review!**_

_**~ TheMasterDaughter**_


	3. Discovery

**Two Sides Of The Same Coin**

Sky awoke as she felt rough fingertips touching her face curiously, they traced the shape of her chin and cheeks as though trying to commit them to memory, but the hand was withdrawn swiftly, when Sky's eyes flickered open to see a dark figure perching on the arm of the sofa next to her.

"You're awake Sky." A deep, silky voice announced smugly. "I've been waiting for you. Do you want some tea?"

Shadows obscured his face, but Sky could sense the evil smirk playing across her captor's lips as he offered her a cup of steaming liquid.

"No." She answered firmly, pulling herself into a sitting position on the sofa. She brushed the hair out of her eyes, trying to remain calm as the figure watched her with amusement. "I _would,_ on the other hand, like you to get the hell out of my house, whoever you are."

He took Sky by surprise by unexpectedly rising to his feet, towering at least 3 feet above her. "After I came all this way? That's all you have to say?" The figure tutted mockingly. "How… disappointing."

"So are you going or not?" Sky repeated threateningly, as she pulled herself to her feet, failing to match her captor's height.

The figure paused for a moment, as if in thought. "No." He said simply, enjoying the intoxicating feeling of the power he had over her.

"Fine." Sky answered, sending him a glare before boldly striding to the phone, and without any attempt to hide what she was doing, she began to dial 911.

"Uh, no. You really don't want to do that."

Before Sky could react, the phone seemed to jump out of her hands of its own accord, and her captor caught it easily with one hand.

"Did you just do that?" She asked incredulously.

"That's not all I can do."

Suddenly, an invisible force pushed Sky against the wall, winding her as she hovered, unsupported, in the air. The figure strode forwards, and for effect, twitched his fingers so that the lounge lights flickered into life.

Sky finally met her captor's eyes as he pulled his cap off and carelessly chucked it on the sofa, revealing a darkly handsome profile. He had a strong jaw with a small amount of stubble covering his chin, his jet black hair was ruffled untidily as if he had just escaped from gale force winds, and his dark eyebrows were set low above his deep, endless eyes. If circumstances were different, Sky would have said that he was quite appealing, but as she was being held in the air by the threatening stranger, it didn't really seem to fit.

A dark smirk spread across his handsome face as he drew closer, holding his hand out, palm flat. Sky struggled pointlessly as the pressure restraining her movements grew stronger with every step he took towards her.

"This is usually the part where you start to panic." He informed her, his mysterious, shadowy eyes glittering in the light.

"I don't think so." Sky replied. "Cause whatever you're using… telepathy-"

"Telekinesis." He corrected.

"Fine, this telekinesis, is all very well, but it's not _doing_ an awful lot apart from holding me against this wall."

He lifted an eyebrow in a sophisticated manner. "Really? Well, we'll have to see about that."

Drawing closer, he sighed in mock-sadness, keeping his eyes fixed on the girl as the corners of his mouth twitched into a smug smirk.  
Sky fought in vain against the force holding her against the wall, but she was incapable of moving a muscle. The man chuckled darkly at her efforts before reaching out to stroke her cheek with a rough but gentle, finger. "Shame…it seems such a waste…"

He withdrew his hand, his smirk widening as he raised a finger to point at Sky, slowly moving it sideways and cutting a deep gash into her forehead as her temple exploded with pain.

Standing back to admire his work, the figure smirked triumphantly as the girl's head slumped forward onto her chest, bleeding profusely. Breathing in deeply, a satisfied expression spreading triumphantly across his face, the man in black stepped forward to claim his prize.

He recoiled sharply as without warning, Sky's head snapped back up, the cut on her forehead healing in front of his eyes at an unnatural speed.

"Surely you didn't think it would be that easy." She retorted, raising an eyebrow challengingly.

Sky was secretly terrified by her miraculous regeneration, it was impossible – the telekinesis was impossible, the entire chain of the night's events were impossible. Scanning her mind, Sky tried to think of a logical reason to justify her body's unfeasible reaction. Coming to a blank, she lifted her head fearlessly and met the man's shadowed eyes.

For a moment, he stood stunned, before he a wide grin spread across his face.

"This is going to make things more interesting. I can't wait to try that." He stated, his eyes transfixed as the skin healed to its former, smooth state.

"It certainly is!" Shouted Sky, taking advantage of the moment as his telekinetic grip loosened, allowing her to move freely. Using her temporary advantage, Sky ran towards the man and punched him as hard as she could, but unfortunately for her, he predicted her actions and lazily flicked a finger, telekinetically throwing her back across the room and into a bookshelf.

As she attempted to pull herself off the floor, Sky felt the man's telekinetic force paralyze her body once again, slamming her violently against the wall.

"Shh…calm down." He hushed in a soft, even voice, smirking in amusement at the girl's futile efforts to escape. Sky stiffened as he drew closer again, leaning in to breath in the delicate scent of her now bloodied hair, then released his breath in satisfaction, blowing loose a few strands of her hair and gently tickling her neck, causing an involuntary shiver to tingle down her spine. "That's better."

"Creep." She muttered, shooting daggers at him as he looked over at her, a strange, deadly hunger burning in his dark eyes.

"What was that?" He asked, his voice suddenly turning deadly and ice-cold. Sky resisted the temptation to shudder.

"I said that you were a creep!" Sky repeated, louder this time.

"You're really going to wish you hadn't said that." The man told her, his eyes flashing dangerously as he sent a few books hurtling at her, disfiguring her face with large red welts.

"You're not healing." He stated in surprise as he watched the fearless, but now injured Sky glare unflinchingly at him.

Sky suddenly felt a surge of adrenaline heat her blood as her heart beat faster, the cuts on her face burning as anger flooded her body. Silently hurling insults at the man, Sky tried to calm herself, restraining her formidable surge of anger. She closed her eyes, biting her lip as she braced herself for whatever torture her captor had planned next.

A loud crash and a curse caused Sky's eyes to snap open in alarm. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the man sprawled on the ground, looking like he had just been thrown across the room.

He glared up at her from the floor, rubbing the back of his head to find a thick covering of blood on his hand.

Her face still burning from the cuts the man had made, Sky realised that she was free from the man's restraining force. Drawing herself up, infuriated, Sky lifted her arm and was surprised as several books rose into the air, easily denying gravity as they hovered next to her hand. Tentatively, she whipped her hand through the air in front of her, causing the books to torpedo towards her ambusher.

Lifting his own hand, the man effortlessly stopped the books in mid-air before throwing them back towards Sky with a chuckle.

"You'll have to do better than that." He echoed her.

Sky ducked quickly beneath the shower of books, and as one hurtled towards her head, she reflexively held her arm up to prevent it from hitting her.

The man laughed, amused, as she doggedly pulled herself back to her feet. He was fascinated by her fearless and determined stance, making him even more desperate to acquire her ability. He watched, puzzled, as the large gash the book had created, once again failed to heal, oozing large droplets of scarlet liquid onto the floor.

Holding her injured arm to her chest, Sky confirmed apprehensively that she could no longer heal and was vulnerable. Lifting her head to glare at her assailant, she prepared to use her newly-discovered telekinesis against him, but as she raised her arm the man quickly reached out his hand, using his telekinesis to restrain her before striding closer, leaving a trail of bloody footprints behind him.

"Now, back to finishing what we started." He grinned as he raised his index finger, using his power to telekinetically split open her head.

Preventing herself from screaming aloud, Sky concentrated all her energy into one purpose as the man stared intently at her forehead, lengthening the gash.

Suddenly, an unexpected, but powerful surge of telekinetic energy discharged towards the man, the wave blasting him through Sky's front window with a loud crash.

Sky immediately ran over, horrified with herself as she inspected the damage. The man lay spread-eagled on the drive, his blood oozing out into a stream, covering the pieces of glass around him in a sticky, crimson substance. Forcing herself not to vomit, Sky tried to pull her gaze away from the motionless body.

"I'm so sorry…" She whispered. Then glanced around in case anyone had seen what had transpired.

Suddenly feeling panic rising in he throat, Sky turned away from the body, scared that someone might think she had committed genocide. Before she had chance to think, her instincts took over and she began to run, thoughtlessly fleeing from the terrible scene behind her. The wind tore mercilessly at her clothing as she sprinted through the narrow streets, the silver moonlight shining down and reflecting off her shimmering hair.

After what seemed like hours, Sky finally drew to a halt, panting breathlessly as she held her sides. _What have I done? _She thought in horror, as the bloody images flashed through her mind.

Trying to divert her thoughts, Sky's gaze fell to the ground, which only triggered thoughts of copious amounts of blood pooling around the man's body. Holding back a sob, Sky closed her eyes, wishing that everything would go away. _And what am I now? A murderer?_ Choking back the lump in her throat, Sky took a few deep breaths to steady herself, before continuing to walk.

As she passed an overflowing trash bin, a stray newspaper fluttered towards her, slithering across the ground. Miserably, Sky bent down to pick it up, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw the picture on the front page.

'**Petrelli Brother's Attempted Suicide – Will It Make Or Break The Campaign?**' The heading announced boldly as underneath was a picture of a man standing on the edge of a building, beneath that, a different picture of the Petrelli brothers grinning, with their arms wrapped around each other affectionately.

_What's this?_ Sky thought mystified, as she began to read the scruffy article out of concern for her friend. _Peter attempting suicide? That doesn't sound like him… what is happening to the world…?_

She sighed, it sounded to her as if Peter was having almost as much trouble as she was. Laying the paper on top of the rubbish pile, Sky absentmindedly stuck her hands in her pockets before drifting away. As she slipped her hands into her pockets, she noticed a small scrap of paper tucked away in the depths of her trouser pockets.

_I'd forgotten that Peter had given me his number._ She thought. Out of all the people she had met so far, he had seemed by far the kindest and most understanding.

Reaching into her other pocket, she pulled out her black flip-phone and gazed at it indecisively, weighing up the odds.

After a few moments, Sky typed in the number and quickly pressed the ring button before she could change her mind. _Oh God, I hope I'm doing the right thing._ She shifted nervously as she heard the phone ring, half-hoping that he wouldn't pick up.

"Peter?" She called into the receiver as soon as the phone stopped ringing. She paused for a moment, wondering what to say until suddenly a warm, and comfortingly familiar voice answered.

"Yeah, speaking?" He asked, his voice sounding slightly weary as he tried to cover it over unsuccessfully.

"It's Sky and I think I'm going crazy."

"You're not the only one…" Peter said darkly, before quickly correcting his tone of voice to a more cheerful one, "Glad you got back safely by the way."

"Well… the thing is… that's part of the problem…"

"What's wrong Sky?" He asked suddenly, his voice full of concern as he heard how upset Sky seemed.

"I-I can't tell you – well, not here. I just ran away and– and- " Sky stuttered, fighting back her sobs.

"It's okay, just calm down and tell me where you are." Peter's calm voice hushed soothingly.

"I don't know. I mean, about a couple of kilometres away from my apartment-"

"I'll meet you on the beach, the part near the Plaza, in about 30 minutes, and whatever's happened, stay _away_ from your house. I'll get there as soon as I can." He advised her, as he pulled his coat on and reached for his keys.

"Okay. Thank you Peter."

"That's alright, see ya in 30." He said gently. Sky made out the jingle of keys in a lock, and the slamming of a door as Peter hastily left his apartment. "Keep safe Sky." He added, before hanging up and leaving Sky with a small feeling of hope growing in her chest.

Sky let out a sigh of relief as she shut her phone and tucked it carefully away in her trouser pocket. She felt a pang of guilt for dragging Peter into her pool of problems without the option of escape, but she couldn't deny that she was glad to have rung him. _And, after all, he sounded like he needed to talk to someone too... _a frown crossed her face as she recalled his weary tone in contrast to his light, carefree demeanour on the aeroplane. She briefly wondered if it could be related to the article, and perhaps troubles associated with his brother's thoughtless arrogance when he'd announced to the world that Peter had 'mental health issues'.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Sky wondered, not for the first time, how kind, caring Peter could put up with a stuck-up, self-serving politician like his brother.

Glancing up from the ground, Sky noticed a signpost before drawing to halt and peering up at the words in the dim street-lights; ¼ Kilometres to the Plaza the sign read with an arrow pointing to a small walkway beside the beach.

Crossing the empty road with a quick glance to check for traffic, Sky briskly set off down the assigned path, keeping her eyes open for the Plaza.

A few minutes later, Sky discovered a large gridded area of the road which was conveniently labelled 'The Plaza'. Remembering Peter's instruction to wait for him on the beach, Sky dropped down from the path onto the vast expanse of smooth, soft sand. Her heart sunk rapidly as she noticed a large group of rowdy drunks staggering in a ragged line across the beach, bottles in hand.

Suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable, Sky silently clambered back onto the path, inconspicuously ducking underneath the shadows of a nearby building. The drunks slowly drew closer with slurred, loud voices, causing Sky to flatten herself closer to the rough surface of the wall, concealing herself in the shadows.

Just as she began to think they hadn't noticed her, one of the youths flung out his arm in a flamboyant gesture, pointing directly at Sky. The voices suddenly became louder and more audible as the group began to stagger towards her.

Turning away, Sky tried to pretend she hadn't noticed the drunks as they wolf-whistled at her, she walked away casually, her heart pounding with fear.

Sky quickly slipped down a small alley between a block of apartments, briefly looking back over her shoulder before looping back onto the beach. Glancing around, she breathed a sigh of relief as she took in the deserted beach, _They must have headed to the next pub to get even more stoned. _Sky thought as she jumped off the path, landing feet-first in the sand.

Folding her arms behind her head, Sky laid back against the warm, soft sand, burying her hands in the silky smooth grains as she gazed up at the beautiful, starless, moonlit night.

The perfectly circular moon glowed down comfortingly, like some strange, omnipotent being. Closing her eyes, Sky's mind drifted to her childhood and the numerous stories her mother had read her as a kid. The memory of her mother's stern but loving voice made her ache for home; her parents, her job, her silly boss and overall, her old life.

Feeling slightly overcome by her emotions, Sky brushed a hand over her eyes, surprised to find a few tears clinging like early morning dew to her sand-covered hand.

Her thoughts were interrupted abruptly as a pair of arms seized her and the potent stench of alcohol made her gag.

"Got her!" Her captor called as he swayed drunkenly.

Seeing the rest of the group of drunken youths approaching, Sky quickly pulled herself away from the disgusting man and kicked him when he reached to grab her back.

The man swore profusely as Sky ran away from him, only to be received by another, taller man who swiftly pulled her arms behind her back, rendering her helpless.

"Don't struggle, you'll make it all the worse for yourself." He threatened gruffly as the other drunken youths formed a circle around them.

Sky struggled futilely against the man's grip, desperately trying to release herself, the stench of sweat and alcohol growing stronger as the youths rapidly closed in.

"Let me be, or you _will _regret it." Sky said suddenly, her voice dangerous and chilly as she glared at her captor.

The youths paused for a moment, insecure by the venom and confidence in the girl's voice before their leader chuckled.

"We know better than to fall for that."

Sky shut her eyes, wishing she could be elsewhere. Right now, even her house would be a better place to be than here.

As the drunk's leader reached out to touch her, Sky instinctively pushed him away with her mind, resulting in the man being pushed over 10 metres away by an invisible force.

_I can't do this. _Sky thought. _What if I end up killing someone else?_

She choked back a sob as the drunks looked mystified and their leader pushed them out of his path, cursing Sky.

"You little bitch! What did you do?" He asked angrily, before reaching out again and grasping her thigh.

Just as Sky prepared to use her telekinesis to push him away again, a strong, fiery voice broke through the rough cursing.

"Let her go or I'll take you down!" Her rescuer shouted fearlessly.

Something about the man's appearance seemed to scare the drunks, and they backed away slowly as he glared down at them, scattering them like a wolf in a herd of sheep. His eyes burned through the dark night with a deadly, unstoppable determination.

"Peter?" Sky breathed in recognition, still trembling slightly from her experience.

"Sky, are you okay?" Peter asked in concern, no longer intimidating, but the familiar caring and gentle man she had met on the plane.

Sky tried to nod, but kept her eyes fixed on the floor, feeling her emotions resurfacing she forced herself not to cry.

"Sky?" He repeated, looking worriedly into her eyes.

Failing to get a response, Peter gently lifted her chin, making Sky raise her eyes to meet his. He realised that it was taking all her pride and effort to stop herself from breaking down.

"Come on. Let's get you back to the car."

He caringly laid an arm around Sky's trembling shoulders and guided her towards the side of the road, his car's headlights blinding the shivering girl, causing her to lift her arm to protect her eyes from the brilliant light. Peter looked down at her in concern as he helped her into the car.

"Sky, you're bleeding…" He said, lightly lifting her injured arm with gently hands and examining it. "Who did this? What happened?"

Sky shook her head slowly, drawing her eyes up to meet his, silently telling him that she was currently unable to talk.

Sighing, Peter reached into the back of the car and produced a first-aid kit, proceeding to wrap a length of white linen around the large gash which continued to bleed messily over his car. Once he had finished attending to the injured Sky, Peter silently pulled out onto the road, driving back towards Manhattan. Sky didn't even raise her head to ask where they were going, she watched mindlessly as neon-lit signs, happy crowds and dim street-lights became coloured blurs, streaking past the window like glowing fireflies.

Leaning her head against the cool glass, Sky tried to block the night's events from her mind, but only succeeded in remembering her impossible, newly discovered abilities.

Feeling an irritation in her injured arm, Sky subconsciously scratched it before glancing down, her eyes widening as she saw her skin knit itself together in front of her eyes. Quickly shifting her arm so as to hide the miraculous recovery from Peter, Sky pretended that nothing had happened and turned back to gaze detachedly out of the window.

Every few minutes, Peter glanced over at Sky, tapping his fingers gently on the steering wheel before focusing back on the road, his eyebrows joined together in a worried frown.

Eventually, Peter began to slow down before pulling up outside a tall skyscraper which glowed dramatically against the night sky. Barely registering that the car had stopped, Sky continued to stare dumbly out of the window. She was jerked out of her reverie as Peter opened her door and held out his hand.

Sky gave him a small smile and politely declined his extended hand, heaving herself from her seat and grasping the vehicle for support when she swayed as she stepped out onto the pavement.

Offering his arm to her, Peter smiled back at her in return, his eyes full of a veiled concern. Gradually he was starting to realise that Sky didn't want his pity, just his help.

"My apartment's here. I'll sleep on the sofa tonight." Peter told Sky as he guided the exhausted young woman towards the lift. As they waited for the elevator to stop, Peter glanced down at Sky's arm, checking the bandage.

Gently pulling her arm from his grip, Sky sent Peter a meaningful look.

"Well, fine. If you won't let me check now, I'll just check when we get into my apartment." He said firmly.

Stepping out into the hallway, Sky followed Peter along the hallway until he reached into his coat pocket and produced some keys, twisting them in the lock before shoving the door open.

Peter's apartment was surprisingly modest for a person whose family was renowned for being rich. Seeing Sky's questioning look, Peter walked over to her, tucking his dark bangs behind his ear.

"I left the family business 'cause I always wanted to be a nurse." He explained, whilst offering to take her coat, "My Mom didn't want me to, but I did it anyway." He paused for a moment, then smiled at Sky. "Now let's see that arm of yours."

"No, really – it's fine." She said evasively, hiding her arm behind her back.

Peter raised his eyebrows slightly, then shrugged, before showing her to the bedroom.

"You don't have to do this you know Peter." Sky told him, feeling bad about the whole situation.

"Don't worry. Maybe you can tell me something tomorrow."

Sky nodded, smiling at him as she slowly began to feel calmer, the tension in her stomach gradually loosening up.

"Goodnight Peter. And thank you again. It means a lot." She said sincerely.

"Hey, that's okay. Sleep well Sky. I'll see you tomorrow." Peter said kindly, embracing her in a warm and comforting hug, before laying a soft, friendly kiss on her forehead and shutting the door behind him as he left the room.

Sky blushed a furious red colour, as she stared at the inanimate door, before coming to her senses, shaking her head in embarrassment.

Sky glanced down at her previously injured arm, then, carefully removing the white linen, she inspected her arm to find not even a trace of a scar. Frowning slightly, she rubbed her arm gently, puzzled. Suddenly yawning loudly, Sky realised how tired she felt after the night's events, she rubbed her tired eyes wearily.

After taking one last look at her now uninjured arm, Sky walked over to the bed and sunk gladly into its comforting depths. She fell asleep within moments.

Sky awoke to the sound of the bedroom door creaking open and a large amount of light seeping through the crack as Peter used his elbow to push it open, his hands occupied with a large tray of food.

"Good morning Peter." Sky said in surprise, rubbing her eyes and stretching as she pulled herself into a sitting position whilst watching the young man attempt to carry the tray through.

"Hi Sky! Did you sleep alright?" He asked, finally managing to push the door open to reveal a large tray of waffles.

"Alright thanks – you? And I must say, those waffles look absolutely amazing!"

Peter grinned at the compliment and set the tray down next to her. "Same really. I have these dreams…" He looked pensive for a moment, then glanced down at Sky's arm. "Anyway, I see you took the dressing off."

"Er… yeah… I guess I did…"

Before she had chance to pull away, Peter managed to grab hold of her arm, his eyes widening in shock as he registered the unbroken skin.

"How- how did you-?"

"I don't actually know." Sky admitted. "It's all tied in with what happened last night… do you mind driving me back to my place and then I can explain what happened?"

"Sure. Okay." Peter agreed, before stealing a waffle off the tray.

Sky pouted playfully causing Peter to laugh. She loved the sound of his laugh, it was carefree and helped to lighten her dark thoughts, which suddenly reminded her.

"Peter… I was going to ask you about this newspaper article I saw…"

"Oh." Peter's face suddenly turned darker, the smile fading from his face.

"Sorry, forget I mentioned it." Sky backtracked quickly.

"No, don't worry… hey, I know, I'll tell you about it when we're round your place and we can both explain."

"Sounds like a plan!" Sky said enthusiastically as she finished her last waffle. "Now, I'd better make myself look decent before we leave… and Peter, thanks for the waffles – they were perfect!" She sent him a wink as he bent down, gently stroking her hair before lifting up the empty tray.

"No probs." He said, then pulled the door close behind him.

A few minutes later, Sky had straightened her clothes and smiled at Peter who was waiting patiently by the door, holding her coat.

"Come on Sky!" He said cheerfully. "You'll have to direct me to your apartment."

"Yep, sure." Sky said, bounding towards him and tugging her coat out of his grip, causing a smile to spread across his handsome face.

Peter led the way back to his car, chivalrously opening the door for Sky, before climbing in himself.

Peter drove the car on a different route through numerous, complicated backstreets which only succeeded in confusing Sky. The friends exchanged on few words every now and then, but Sky continued to remain quieter and more withdrawn as they drew closer to her house.

Finally, they turned into her street, Sky's heart pounded uncontrollably as they approached her apartment, vivid images from the previous night haunting her mind.

As they pulled up onto Sky's drive, Peter turned to find her face ghostly pale and her eyes wide and disbelieving as she stared incredulously at her house; there wasn't a body in sight, the previously shattered front window was perfectly restored, and a newspaper was shoved carelessly into the small mailbox outside the house.

"It's not possible…" She whispered. "I know this'll probably sound crazy, but I think someone's been here…"

Peter just watched her, his eyes secretive and unreadable as they climbed out the car and walked up her drive to the house.

Sky shook her head in disbelief… it was almost as if someone was trying to make her look stupid. But she knew better. There was a deeper reason than a simple grudge.

Sky pulled out her keys and unlocked the door whilst Peter wandered over to retrieve the newspaper. Moments later, he called her over and held out a small square envelope with her name on.

"Sky, there's a letter here for you." He told her whilst opening the newspaper to check the headlines. Accepting the envelope, and wondering who it could be from, Sky opened it carefully.

Peter gazed around him at the house's surroundings, Sky seemed fortunate to be located to such a nice area, but he still wondered what could have happened that might have upset her so much.

He heard Sky utter a strangled cry and reflexively turned around to see what was wrong. He looked at the torn envelope in her hands, then at the scrunched note on the ground.

Bending down to pick it up whilst brushing his hair from his eyes, Peter frowned as he glanced at Sky who seemed frozen in shock. Turning the paper over, he read the scribble written in crimson ink, a small tingle running down his spine as he realised it was blood.

I'LL BE BACK TO TAKE WHAT IS MINE.

_**Hope that I portrayed Sylar alright. Thank you very much to my amazing reviewers, PrettyatMidnight and axara2 – your support is really appreciated and great motivation :)**_

_**Hope you enjoy the chapter,**_

_**~ TheMastersDaughter**_


	4. Encounters

**Two Sides Of The Same Coin**

"Sky, it's okay. Calm down. I'm here." Peter comforted Sky as she remained irresponsive.

"It-it's not possible… he _died _– I killed him… Oh my God…"

Peter looked dumbstruck. "What do you mean? Who did you kill? Sky?"

"I didn't kill him… he came to kill me... it was all an accident…" She muttered without looking at Peter.

Taking her arm as he realised she wasn't going to respond, Peter pulled her into her house and made her sit down on the sofa as he found the kitchen and put the kettle on, soon returning with 2 steaming mugs of refreshingly hot tea. Gently putting the mug in her hands, Peter rubbed her back consolingly and patiently waited for her to explain.

Sky took a long draught from her mug, inhaling the soothing scent of the tea for strength before beginning to explain to Peter what had transpired.

"I fell asleep by my computer – I was exhausted last night… I was sure I'd locked the door, but when I woke up, it was blown wide open, so naturally I shut it." Peter brushed his bangs from his eyes, then nodded, showing that he was following the story so far. "Then I came back, and I saw that someone had written on my laptop, I turned around and was knocked unconcious." She breathed in deeply, rubbing her head in indecision. "The next part's more complicated. For starters, you probably won't believe me, or you'll just think I've gone crazy…"

Peter suddenly grabbed her hand. "I won't. I'm serious. Just tell me."  
Glancing down at her hand in his, Sky smiled weakly before continuing. "I woke up and I found this… man, this terrible man, leering down at me. He was right where you're sitting now… he offered me tea…" She paused off pensively, frowning at the strange coincidence, before shaking her head and taking another calming sip of her tea, she cleared her throat. "That was when things started to get really weird…I don't know how, but he- this man- he lifted me off the ground, quite literally." Peter's eyes widened in surprise. "Then he threw me against the wall – all with his mind, and tried to cut open my head, but… I healed. That didn't go down too well with him of course, so it ensued in a fight – he chucked books – anything and everything at me and I healed. But suddenly, something happened and I stopped healing-"

"You stopped healing?" Peter asked in alarm, seeming seriously concerned. "But you healed yourself earlier…"

"In the car, remember that? I wasn't healing then… anyway, I haven't finished…"

"Sorry, go on."

"Like I was saying, he had me completely at his mercy and I suddenly felt really, really angry – I was fed up of being thrown around like a toy. I shut my eyes and when I opened them I discovered that he had been thrown against the opposite wall."

"No way!" Peter exclaimed, making Sky smile slightly as she took another slurp from her tea.

"Basically, after that, I accidently chucked him through my front window with his own power. I thought I'd killed him – I didn't mean to though… I felt terrible – I thought I was a murderer…"

"Then you rang me?"

"Yes, I rang you 'cause you were the only person I could turn to – I'm sorry I've got you involved now… and I think you more or less know the story from then on, apart from the part where I threw that loathsome perve across the beach with my mind – you missed that bit."

Sky let out a deep breath, feeling strangely relieved and unusually emotional. She shuddered slightly as everything came back.

"Wow." Peter said in awe. Then he caught sight of Sky who was desperately fighting the urge to cry and release her tears. "Sky… it's okay, I promise alright?"

Sky nodded, biting her lip then turning away as the tears began to fall, regardless of her wishes. Burying her head in her hands, she trembled, trying to regain some self-control.

Suddenly, Peter gently embraced her, holding her comfortingly against his warm, soft chest as she trembled with the unexpected emotion. Sky relaxed against him, feeling that she was finally safe as he whispered to her soothingly whilst tenderly stroking her hair.

A few long minutes later, Sky managed to recover from her emotionally unstable state and composed herself, setting a small smile on her face to reassure Peter that she was okay.

"Now it's your turn." She prompted.

"Well, you know that whole thing I said, on the airplane, about wanting to be somebody?"

Sky nodded, then realisation dawned. "Can you do something too?" She asked in amazement.

Peter grinned at her. "I can fly!"

"No way! Can you show me?"

"Sure, I'll try once I finish telling you. Anyway, that picture you saw in the newspaper of me near the edge of the building. I _knew_ I could fly. I'd _dreamt _about it… so I had to see if it was true."

"You jumped?" Sky gasped.

"Yeah, my brother flew up and caught me, then he let go. I plummeted, and suddenly I was drifting through the air like an eagle, my brother beside me." Peter said dreamily.

"Wait a minute. Did you just say your _brother_?"

"Yeah, Nathan, he can fly – he saved me and thanks to him, I can fly too."

"Well, of all people, I'd never have thought he would have a…" Sky searched for the word.

"Ability?" Peter suggested.

"That's the one!"

"But Sky, these powers… we've got them for a reason – so we can save the world… there's this artist, Isaac Mendez, he can paint the future. I've seen it. We're all gonna die. You, Nathan, everyone …" He trailed off, looking devastated.

"How? Why? What happens?"

"New York blows up 'cause of me Sky. Imagine having that on your conscience." He paused for a moment. "I see it in my dreams – I explode and wipe out the entire city." Peter stared down at his hands as if expecting them to start glowing in a real-life representation of his nightmares.

Sky looked stunned. "Blow up? But… you said you could fly? Can you do other things like me?"

"Yeah, I sort of… absorb people's abilities, I mean so far I can fly, then I've met people who can read minds, turn invisible and paint the future – when I picture them in my head, I can do what they do. I couldn't control it before – all that power. So I'm learning how to use it, maybe if I learn to control it there won't be an explosion. Maybe…" He paused, turning to meet Sky's eyes directly. "Maybe we were _meant _to meet on the plane, like destiny…" He stopped, his eyes dark and serious as he looked at her. "But you - you weren't in my dreams Sky, maybe you're the only one who can change the future…"

Sky just stared at him disbelievingly. "I honestly do not know what to say, except that we're both mental."

Peter chuckled, tucking his unruly hair behind his ear as his handsome face showed his amusement.

"Well, it's nice to know that I'm not completely alone… I wonder if my abilities work like yours…" She frowned. "I have no idea how I learnt to regenerate… unless…" Sky was suddenly hit by a solution, cursing herself for not realising earlier. "I almost forgot to tell you Peter, yesterday, I was sent out by my boss to a random construction site to write a report about anything 'unusual'. Turned out that I ended up being chased by two creepy guys – one of them had a gun… anyway, there was this girl… a cheerleader… she was bleeding but didn't look hurt… now that I think about it, maybe I'm like you!" Sky enthused. "Now that _would_ be destiny!"

Peter grinned at her. "You're extraordinary – did you know that?"

"I wouldn't have believed you before, but I really like this idea of having powers!"

"Amazing..." Peter trailed off in thought. "D'ya think I can do what you do?"

"Telekinesis and healing? Probably. But could you show me some of your moves?" Sky asked slightly flirtatiously, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Sure, I'll try." Peter replied, interpreting her request in the most benign way possible. Concentrating hard on an image of his friend Claude in his mind, Peter chuckled as Sky's mouth gaped open in amazement at the spot he had been standing in.

"That is _very_ cool!" She exclaimed, jumping as Peter suddenly sneaked up behind her and began to tickle her. "Argh! Peter! That's just not fair!" She shouted, trying to hit him, but only grasping mid-air.

She closed her eyes momentarily, and when she opened them again, she was relieved to see that Peter was visible once again and had ceased tickling her, instead watching her with a smirk.

"Thank you – big improvement."

"What? You can see me?" Peter asked, shocked. "But I'm still invisible!"

Realising that he was still using his power, Sky smirked. "Not anymore – and it's payback time for tickling me!"

Sky lifted her hand in an attempt to use her telekinesis. She pushed desperately with her mind, but the power simply refused to work. In one last attempt, Sky focused all her energy into pushing Peter over with her absent telekinesis.

Peter watched curiously as Sky's power didn't obey her; she held her hand up to no effect before her image suddenly started flickering, disappearing and reappearing rapidly before she collapsed on the floor.

"Ouch! What the heck was that?" Sky asked sleepily, feeling her head throbbing as she clumsily pulled herself off the sofa.

"You overdid it. I had that once too. All my abilities came out at once. But looks to me like you should only use one at a time – just to be safe." He advised her, gently stroking her cheek before smiling.

"Right, so which one am I going to learn next?" Sky asked keenly, eager to extend her knowledge.

"Ohh no. You've had enough for today, and I don't want to see you get hurt again." Peter overruled her.

Sky pouted making Peter laugh once again.

"Not giving." He told her firmly, a smile dancing around his lips.

"Meanie." She replied, before breaking out into a smile. "Do you want to stay for tea?"

"Why not?" He said with a grin. "Thank you Sky. It's been a while since I met someone like you."

Sky smiled back, unsure exactly what he meant, but taking it as a compliment. "Same. I should be thanking you though! You saved me!"

Peter watched as Sky walked into the kitchen, wondering if she'd noticed his slip.

As Peter laid back to relax on the sofa, Sky's thoughts suddenly came drifting into his head. Peter was slightly alarmed as he had not yet mastered this ability.

_Wow. He's so nice – and so sweet. Heh, if I ever wanted to go out with someone, it would be someone like that._ He heard her think.

As Sky walked back into the room, Peter looked slightly embarrassed, feeling guilty for overhearing her thoughts. It seemed like that power worked like a radio, tuning in and out of signals, randomly picking up people's thoughts. Or maybe that was just him.

_What's he doing?_ Sky thought as she saw Peter, apparently immersed in thought.

"Oh, nothing." Peter replied. Quickly realising his mistake as Sky walked over, an eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"Did you just read my thoughts Peter?" She sighed, as opposed to getting angry.

"Yeah, sorry. I gotta watch out for that one, it often takes me by surprise." He apologised earnestly.

Sky blinked, then found she had acquired the ability, as in turn, Peter's thoughts came into her mind.

_Oh God, she's probably really mad now._ He thought.

"No worries Peter!" She answered smugly, causing him to jump.

"How did you just – oh!" Peter said in dawning realisation. "You read my mind!"

"Now, can we get a rule here Peter, I won't go in your head, if you don't go in mine – deal?"

_But I didn't mean to in the first place!_ Peter thought, then cursed himself.

_I heard that! So do we have a deal or not?_

"Yeah." Peter agreed with a grin, he realised that he'd probably finally met his match.

They stood for a moment, gazing at each other in awe, unable to believe that they had finally found someone they could share their secret with.

Sky jumped suddenly as the alarm went off in the kitchen, indicating that the meal was ready. "Just a sec, I'll go get the dinner."

Peter followed her into the kitchen, and spotting a cutlery draw, took the liberty of setting the table.

"Thank you!" Sky said with a smile as he sat himself down at the table.

He simply grinned back, pushing his uncontrollable bangs behind his ear and watching her prepare the food.

As she removed the plates from the cooker, Sky accidentally burnt herself on the red-hot oven.

"Damn!" She cursed, blowing on her fingers before walking over to the tap and turning it on, closing her eyes in relief as the cool water soothed the pain…the pain which had now disappeared completely.

Opening one eye carefully, Sky glanced down at her hand to find the skin flawless, it had once again healed again of its own accord.

_I totally don't get this!_ She thought, _When I __**want**__ a power to work, it hardly ever happens, but when I __**need**__ it to work, it does it itself…_ Rubbing a hand over her eyes wearily, Sky reached out for her glass of water which she had left further along the work surface. It promptly flew towards her and smashed on the floor as she sidestepped the offending object. _Now that's just __**strange!**_She thought in confusion.

"Sky! I think I've got it figured out now!" Peter suddenly announced triumphantly. Sky hadn't realised that he'd been watching her the entire time. "It looks like most of the time, your ability heals you – like a sorta default setting, but when you closed your eyes just then – even to blink, your power changed. It's like it switches when you aren't distracted. Try it out!" He urged her.

Sky looked at Peter, then smiled. Shutting her eyes briefly, she briefly wondered what ability would surface and jumped in surprise as she heard Peter's voice in her mind.

_She's pretty when she closes her eyes like that…but so alone, so hurt…_ Suddenly, Peter glanced up, rising to his feet as he became aware that Sky was reading his thoughts. _Sky! We had an agreement __**– your**__ agreement!_

Sky eyes flickered shut again, and she looked at Peter apologetically. "I'm sorry. I really am, I didn't mean to do that… I'm sorry."

Peter stared at her, and Sky knew he was probably checking her thoughts quickly before he sank down in his seat.

"Don't worry. The powers… they're a novelty and you want to try them all at once. I understand that. Just next time you read someone's mind, let it be Sylar's or something." Peter said gently, smiling as Sky placed a plate of food in front of him.

"Sylar? Who's Sylar?" Sky asked as she sunk into the chair opposite Peter and began to tuck into her meal.

Brushing his dark hair from his eyes, Peter put down his fork to explain. "You know you mentioned a cheerleader earlier? I don't suppose you got her name?" He asked.

"Er… yeah… she said she was called… Claire I think." Peter nodded and smiled. "What? Do you know her?" Sky asked.

"She's my niece."

"You're _kidding_ me Peter! Of all the people to bump into!" Sky said with a laugh.

"Yeah, she's a sweet kid-"

"Peter, you know what this means right? You can heal too!"

"Oh yeah, er, sorry, forgot to mention that one… " He trailed off pensively before continuing. "Anyway, about a week ago this man called Sylar came after her – he tried to get her ability – and mine. He threw these lockers at me then went for Claire – but I stopped him – just."

"Wait a minute. He threw lockers at you? Did he have like super-strength?"

Peter looked down at his food, his hair falling in front of his eyes, his face shadowed and unreadable.

"No Sky. He used telekinesis."

"Does that mean…?"

Peter nodded, keeping his eyes fixed guiltily on the floor..

"Sylar is the same man who came after me last night! Why didn't you tell me this before Peter?" Sky demanded as she rose to her feet, no longer hungry.

"I didn't want to scare you! He's killed a lot of people, and it looks like you're next on his list! I wanted to protect you. But you had to push didn't you?" Peter said angrily.

Closing her eyes momentarily as an idea came to mind, Sky used her thoughts to talk to Peter.

_I'm sorry, but I had to know. Now I can be prepared._

_Prepared for a psychopath who goes 'round killing people for their abilities? He hurt you once, and I'm not letting it happen again!_ Peter thought.

_Peter, please, I am not some damsel in distress that needs rescuing all the time. I fought him off once, I can do it again if I have to._

"But he's gonna kill you!" Peter suddenly shouted aloud.

"He can't. I can heal - remember?" Sky said defensively.

"No, it's too dangerous. You can't take that risk." He argued, his eyes full of passionate concern.

"You can't be sure till I've tried - I could fight him with these new powers! I'd relish the challenge!"

"Look Sky, this isn't a _game_. If he's stronger, he'll kill you. He's a monster."

"But he _isn't _stronger!" Sky reasoned.

"You don't know that!" Peter shouted, banging his fist on the table before turning back to her. There was a long silence as he calmed his breathing whilst Sky watched him warily. "I'm sorry Sky… but can't you just see?"

"No." Sky replied flatly. "I don't see."

"I know." He said in a softer tone. "I just want to help you… you still haven't learnt to control your powers, you need to do that."

"Are you implying training?" Sky asked with a raised eyebrow. "How?"

"I'll teach you."

"How's that then? Peter Petrelli teaching me how to become a hero!" She joked.

"Sounds pretty good to me." Peter answered, his hair flopping over his eyes once again.

Sky smiled, then, without thinking, she gently tucked the bangs behind his ear making him lift an eyebrow in surprise. As she withdrew her lingering hand, Peter caught it in his own.

"I'm sorry I got mad Sky. I-I don't want to see you hurt again." He lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed it before glancing up to meet her eyes.

_Damn, did he just read my thoughts again?_ Sky thought worriedly, as a subtle red tinge spread across her cheeks.

Sky's heart began to beat faster as she suddenly noticed how close Peter had come to her lips. She could feel his soft breath tickling her face gently and saw his deep, brown eyes sparkling secretively. He leant closer to capture her lips, and just as Sky began to kiss back, Peter recoiled unexpectedly, jumping away from her, before turning transparent.

Closing her eyes, her heart sinking in disappointment, Sky opened them to see Peter by the door, a finger on his lips, he shook his head quickly as she opened her mouth in query, indicating for her to stay still.

Shutting her eyes once more, Sky used her mind-reading to try and understand what was going on. Within moments, a deep, silky voice broke through into her mind sending chills down her spine.

_Another ability, another step closer to being even more special._ She heard, her heart began pounding frantically as she recognised the voice as Sylar's. He had returned, just like he said he would.

As Sky glanced around desperately in an attempt to find Peter, she suddenly felt an all-too-familiar iron force grip her body, slamming it up against the wall as Sky closed her eyes in an attempt to turn invisible.

Her ability failing to change successfully, Sky cringed as the bruise on her head healed, using her regenerative powers.

Sky's heart sank in dread as the figure of her nightmares approached with a smug look on his face.

"Hello again Sky. Did you miss me?" Sylar asked mockingly as he increased the pressure holding her against the wall. "Oh, that's right. Last time you saw me, you tried to kill me and left me for dead…" He sighed dramatically before another smirk fixed itself on his face.

Sky briefly wondered where Peter had gone whilst she struggled to free herself from his grip. _Maybe if he's distracted long enough, Peter will be able to finish him off and do us all a big favour._ She thought.

Sylar drew closer again, the smirk turning into a malicious grin. "You know why I'm here… I'm back to finish what we started." He reached out his hand, and gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, making her hiss in discontent. Before she could react, Sylar lifted her arm with his telekinesis and stabbed her with a large needle, speedily injecting a fluid which caused her to collapse on the floor, unconscious.

Infuriated by Sylar's treatment of Sky, Peter silently approached him, only revealing his presence when he had secured the knife against the villain's throat, hesitant to complete his plan of action.

A smirk spread across Sylar's handsome face as Sky's body fell limply onto the ground. _That wasn't too difficult._ He thought. Sylar cocked his head to one side as he sensed a movement from behind him. Suddenly, he felt cold steel press against his throat and acting on impulse, Sylar swiftly raised his arm, telekinetically throwing his ambusher across the room.

"You!" He said in disbelief, his dark eyebrows rising in surprise as he recognised Peter. "Why are _you _here?"

"Could ask you the same question." Peter retorted, silently cursing himself for not acting faster as Sylar lazily slammed him against a wall, using his power to hold him there, helpless.

"Heh, no you couldn't. Not if I kill you right now."

Peter gasped as Sylar increased the pressure of the telekinetic power which was pinning him against the wall. _He's gotten stronger._ Peter thought despairingly as Sylar approached, hand positioned to cut open his head.

"You know, I only came for the girl, but I found you too… must be my lucky day!" Sylar teased as he drew closer.

"Let her go!" Peter breathed threateningly as Sylar looked him over disdainfully.

"You really think I'm going to listen to you?" He asked smoothly, a mocking smile dancing on his lips. _This Peter Petrelli really is even more stupid than I thought._ He heard Sylar think. _But that girl… she really is fascinating…I'm going to have fun-_

"Stop!" Shouted Peter. "Don't you dare even _think_ about doing that Sylar!"

Sylar raised an eyebrow, then smirked as he realised Peter could hear what he was thinking. "Oh but Peter, that's only the beginning…" He taunted maliciously.

Lifting his hand slowly, Sylar's eyes sparkled in excitement as he proceeded to split Peter's forehead, feeling the satisfying rush of adrenaline as he anticipated the feeling of Peter's power flowing into him, making him special…

Just as he had almost finished the cut, Peter unexpectedly disappeared in front of his eyes. Sylar's eyebrows joined in a deep frown of confusion. This was new to him, his victims had never disappeared before.

"One more ability I'm going to have to take from you." He muttered with a grim smile.

Turning back to Sky's limp form, Sylar lifted her in his arms and placed her on the sofa – the same place she had woken from, would be the same place she died. _The irony._ He thought.

Lifting his finger, Sylar slowly cut open the girl's head to reveal her brain, and after examining it for a few minutes, he felt the familiar rush of power as his hunger was sated.

"Such a waste." Sylar mused in mock sadness before elegantly lifting his eyebrow and turning away to leave the room with a triumphant smirk plastered to his face.

Suddenly, he felt a surge of pain as something swiped across his face, breaking his nose with a loud crack, shattering it and causing blood to fly in all directions. Sylar quickly reached up to stem the flow of blood as he turned around, his face surprised when he recognised Sky who was wielding a large, heavy book.

"That hurt." He told her calmly, removing his hand from his broken nose with a smirk. "Oh well…"

Sky watched in horror as Sylar healed instantly, wiping the remaining blood on the sleeve of his black jacket before producing Peter's knife and plunging it into her gut, pulling her close so that his breath tickled her ear.

"That wasn't nice." He whispered to her, before drawing out the knife and carelessly discarding it on the floor, watching the girl collapse for the second time that night.

His eyebrows rose in amusement as, after a few moments, Sky coughed up some blood, gasping as she pulled herself to her feet.

"Didn't you know? Healing is my default setting." She panted, looking up into his dark, mysterious eyes.

Sylar smirked as he looked down at her, then using his telekinesis, he drew her closer to him. Sky realised that she was trapped. If she switched abilities now, she could quite easily die. On the other hand, she didn't want to have to endure a lifetime of torture from Sylar.

Sylar used his telekinesis to pick up a piece of glass and experimentally hurl it at Sky, sighing as he watched her heal again. Drawing close to her, he gently stroked her cheek, a dark smirk fixed on his face, then he withdrew his hand to absentmindedly ruffle his stylishly messy hair.

Sky felt slightly uncomfortable as she observed how handsome he was, even in torturing her. She looked up to meet his impenetrable, black eyes which seemed to glitter in the dim light.

"Well this is fun. Don't you agree Sky?"

Sky watched him warily as he retrieved the blood-stained knife, lifting it to her arm and cutting a small nick into her flesh before watching it heal instantaneously. "Fascinating." He grinned up at her making her stomach turn over with an emotion she was afraid to identify. Just as he reached out to touch her with his bloody hand, Sky jumped in surprise as unexpectedly, the knife disappeared from his grip and a small Japanese man appeared from nowhere.

"Stop! Bad man!" He told Sylar sternly, who seemed frozen in action.

"Care to explain what's happening?" Sky asked breathlessly, relieved as she finally felt Sylar's telekinetic force release her.

"We must stop bad man – Sylar - and save you. Peter Petrelli sent us on urgent mission - I must save you from vi-vilan." He said in strong accent, gesturing at the statue-like Sylar.

"So what exactly is your power?" She asked as she gazed in awe at her motionless surroundings, Sylar was frozen in an expression of surprise whilst motes of dust were caught, frozen whilst spiralling elegantly in the air.

"I am a master of time and space!" He announced happily, before reaching to grab her shoulder, "Demo now we must go."

The Japanese man screwed up his face, his cheeks wobbling comically as he scrunched up his eyes, obviously concentrating hard.

The scenery of Sky's apartment disappeared in the blink of an eye and was replaced by a room with cream coloured walls, dark red curtains, a sofa, chairs and a fireplace.

Glancing at his surroundings, the Japanese man's face lit up excitedly as he realised he'd managed to arrive in the right place – _Wherever that is. _Thought Sky.

"Yataa!" He shouted, startling the young woman as he flung his arms in the air enthusiastically. She watched as he ran out the door into a hallway and shouts were heard from the other room.

Rather than follow her strange rescuer, Sky decided to stay away from the crowd, brooding as she wondered where she was. She soon found that her mind kept flicking back to Sylar; his appealing dark smirk, his unfathomable black eyes and his gentle touch on her face.

_What am I thinking? _She asked herself in horror. _He tried to __**kill**__ me and here I am daydreaming about him!_

She glanced pensively out of the window to see the pinpricks of New York lights glowing in the hazy dusk. Biting her lip, Sky found herself unable to distract her thoughts from her attacker, _I'm sure he can't be all bad… there has to be a reason he acts like this… he scares the hell out of me, but at the same time, I sense there's another side to him, someone gentler… someone who might've even felt guilty for hurting me... _

Her thoughts were interrupted abruptly as a formidable, dark-haired woman entered through the door, glancing Sky up and down before stepping closer.

"Oh, thank goodness you're safe." She said, bewildering Sky. "You can thank my visions for that young lady."

"Er… thanks. I don't suppose you could tell me where I am?"

"Yes dear, this is the Petrelli residence. I live here with Nathan, Peter's brother." She paused. "I asked Hiro Nakamura to save my son, then I saw you in one of my visions…" She trailed off as suddenly, a familiar head appeared around the door, and Sky was surprised to see Peter. She frowned in confusion as he rushed over to embrace her.

"Sky! Are you alright? I asked Hiro to get to you as soon as possible…Sky? What's wrong?"

"It's all my fault Peter!" Sky said, close to tears. "He's got my power now – I should've listened to you… and now look what's happened – that _monster_ is indestructible – 'cause of me!"

The woman pursed her lips in displeasure as she heard Sky's words, she watched the young woman's interaction with Peter, her mutual expression quickly changing to one of frosty disapproval.

"You silly little girl. You were supposed to help us, not assist the enemy. I suggest you keep away from my son." The woman said with a hint of a threat.

"Mom!" Peter exclaimed, shocked by her arrogant attitude.

"It's for your own good Peter."

Glaring down at his mother, Peter wrapped his arm around Sky protectively as she shivered slightly. A tingling warmth spreading through her skin as his bare arm made contact with her exposed shoulders. "Leave her alone, it wasn't her fault."

Stepping fearlessly towards her son, Peter's mother looked as if she was about to shout at him, but before she did, she was interrupted by a deep voice calling her from the room next door.

"Ma! Where's Pete? I need him to-" Nathan Petrelli broke off as she saw Sky shivering in the room, Peter's arm laid tenderly around her shoulders. "Oh."

"Sky, this is my brother Nathan, Nathan, this is Sky. And Sky, you've already met my Mom, Angela Petrelli." Peter introduced civilly.

Nathan glanced quickly between Sky, Peter and his mother, recognising it as a dangerous situation. He nodded briefly to Sky as she inadvertently made eye-contact, before sending a quick smile to Peter. "Second thoughts, don't worry."

He clapped Peter on the shoulder in a brotherly fashion, sending a quick frown at his mother before leaving the room again.

"See, told you he wasn't so bad." Peter whispered discreetly, his breath tickling her ear.

"Hmm." Sky said unconvinced, watching as Angela Petrelli glowered at her from across the room, her eyes narrowing at Peter's quiet words.

"Peter, I need to talk to you." Mrs Petrelli told him sternly.

"Mom, lay off okay?" Peter asked as his mother continued to obviously display her disapproval of Sky.

Angela simply sniffed before turning on her heel and walking out the room, expecting Peter to follow.

"I'll be back before you know it." He said, sending her a charming smile and embracing her gently before following his mother.

Sky raised her eyebrows at him then smiled back. "Okay, but could you tell me if there's somewhere I can clean up?"

"Oh, yeah! Sorry!" Peter apologised as he glanced down at her blood-stained fingers and hair, some of which was dyed crimson with her own blood. "Through there, on your right there's a bathroom. See ya in a minute Sky."

Sky followed Peter's directions, curiously peeking around the tall oak door to find a massive, elegantly furnished bathroom.

_Wow, Peter's family sure are well off… not sure what to think of his mother though…_Sky sighed, remembering Angela's evil look when Peter had caringly laid an arm around her shoulders to comfort her. _I guess she's just being protective… Nathan on the other hand actually doesn't seem half as bad as the conceited git he appears to be on TV._

Rubbing the remaining blood-stains off her hands, Sky rung out her hair then looked in the mirror to see her own, slightly pale and shaken face staring back at her. Large grey rings had developed under her eyes, and her hair was scraggly and untamed, overall, she wasn't looking at her best.

Sighing gently, she stretched her aching limbs before making her way back to the lounge where the Petrelli's were in deep conversation.

Angela was stood in an aggressive stance, hands on hips, a fierce look on her face whilst Nathan listened to Peter explain, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Realising this was a bad time to interrupt, Sky froze at the doorway, before moving back into the hallway where she watched the hushed exchange.

"Don't be ridiculous Peter! What do you think you'll achieve?" Hissed Angela.

Nathan stepped forward to lay a restraining hand on her arm, whilst exchanging a glance with Peter.

"Ma, give him a chance, we gotta at least try to help." He reasoned.

After a few moments of silence, Angela sighed. "You're my sons and I will do everything I can to keep you happy and safe. If you have to do this Peter, I'll warn you, the future is dark." Angela prophesized grimly.

_She's a right bundle of laughs this one._ Sky observed with raised eyebrows.

"Thanks Mom." Peter replied, giving her a hug and a quick peck on the cheek before warmly embracing his brother.

"Take care Nate, and look after Sky for me."

Nathan nodded. "Sure Pete. Be careful okay?"

Peter smiled before hitting his brother affectionately on the back. "Will do."

Sky jumped back to reality as Peter began to walk towards the hallway. She quickly moved away from the door so it didn't look like she had been eavesdropping.

Peter strode into the hall, amused as he saw Sky innocently inspecting the family photos, approaching her quietly, he gently laid an arm around her shoulders and smiled.

"You weren't eavesdropping were you Sky?" He teased, as Sky realised he must have heard her thoughts.

"Meh, cheat." She grinned up at him to see that his hair had once again flopped in front of his eyes. Without thinking, she reached up to tuck the unruly bangs behind his ear and as she withdrew her hand, once again, Peter reached up to grab it in his own.

"Sky… I've gotta leave town for a bit, just to visit someone…" He started.

"Who? Why?"

Peter glanced down at her soft hand and gently rubbed circles on her skin with his thumb. "My Mom… she can sorta see the future in her dreams, and something terrible is gonna happen unless I stop it."

"I want to help." Sky volunteered immediately, she felt soothed by Peter's gentle contact until her released her hand to cup her cheek affectionately.

"Sky. No, don't do this. You're not well, you've just fought Sylar and been injected with God knows what. You need rest. Stay here, Nathan and Mom'll take care of you." He said sternly, his sparkling brown eyes now turned hard and serious.

Sky shook her head in protest. "But you fought him too Peter – you're probably even worse off than I am!"

Peter gently moved a strand of her from her face, his soft touch sending an involuntary shiver down Sky's spine. "I couldn't save you last time. And I'm not letting him hurt you again. Please Sky, do this one thing for me." He finished, with a pleading look in his irresistible puppy-eyes.

Sky sighed, then lifted her hand to her cheek and laid it on top of his. "For you."

Peter smiled at her gratefully, then bent down to lay a light kiss on her forehead, stroking her hair gently.

"Thank you." He whispered almost inaudibly.

Peter turned away sadly, his heart sinking as he remembered how he'd been unable to do anything as Hiro had teleported him away when Sylar was hurting her. Every time he looked in her eyes he saw her concealed sadness and pain. He wondered if she blamed him.

"Peter." Sky called, making him turn around to see a light, but concerned smile on her face. "Be careful."

In response, Peter sent her a charming smile as Sky felt a strange feeling tug at her heart, almost a warning of some impending danger. Trying to pushing the feeling to the back of her mind, Sky watched as he strode confidently to the end of the hallway. Sending one last look behind him at Sky, Peter smiled then fearlessly strode out of the door to confront his destiny.

_**By the way, just to inform you that this is set before Simone is shot, but Peter knows about Claire being his niece etc, so it's set around episodes 15/16. Anyways, thanks again to my reviewers :) It's great to know people are reading and enjoying what I write.**_

_**So please continue to review – the more reviews I get, the faster I update!**_

_**Next chapter should be interesting to write (it will be set around episodes 18/19 if all goes as planned!)**_

_**Hope the chapter's ok and you like it.**_

_**~ TheMastersDaughter**_


	5. Travels

**Two Sides Of The Same Coin**

Sky watched the door sadly as it shut behind Peter. The only real friend she had made within the massive city of New York had left her alone with his strange family.

Sighing, Sky turned around to find Nathan also looking at the door, a frown fixed on his serious face.

"You and your brother are pretty close then?" Sky asked, meeting Nathan's veiled, dark eyes. She figured that it must be a Petrelli family trait to naturally look mysterious.

"Er…yeah. We are."

Sky wondered why he sounded so unsure, but let it drop. She shifted uncomfortably as she wondered what she was supposed to say next. Knowing what she was about to do was morally wrong, Sky closed her eyes nevertheless, Nathan's thoughts immediately flooding into her mind.

_Hell, I wish Peter would __**think**__before rushing into things… it's always been the same…as for leaving that girl with us, downright typical. He doesn't even live here anymore and he just expects us to drop everything for him?_

Sky turned around as she heard Nathan approach.

"Erm…Sky, wasn't it? Do you wanna sit down?" He asked awkwardly. _Dammit, I don't even know what to say to her… I mean at least Simone was easy enough to get along with…the sooner I get out of here, the better._

_Who's Simone?_ Sky thought with a small frown, before noticing that Nathan was staring at her strangely.

"Okay, thank you Nathan. Sorry for invading in on you like this. I really am… once Sylar attacked I had nowhere else to go…and my boss will probably go mental at me to top it off."

"That's alright Sky. I could probably get in touch with your boss, I know most of them around here. What do you do anyway?"

Sky paused, considering lying about her answer, but decided against it. "I'm a journalist – a reporter."

_Oh good job Pete. Of all the people to bring home it had to be one of __**those**__. No doubt she's just in it to dig some dirt on me._

"No, actually." Sky replied defensively, then quickly corrected herself. "I mean, I only came here a few days ago, so I'm really quite new to the area and Peter was just showing me around. The guy who's in charge of my assignment is a Mr…Linderman I think…"

"Linderman?" Nathan asked in alarm. _What the hell has she got to do with all this…? Maybe Peter's just put his family in danger instead of taking her out of it… she might be a spy! _"You're kidding right?"

"Er, no… what, is there something wrong with Mr Linderman then?" Sky asked sharply.

Nathan looked into her eyes, finding an honest, earnest innocence shining in the mysterious greenish-grey colours.

Nathan hesitated for a moment, slightly suspicious before shifting uncomfortably. "Nothing, don't worry." _If only she knew…_

Sky frowned, but realised that if she pushed the conversation any further, Nathan might guess she was telepathic. Smiling reassuringly, Sky walked back into the lounge, leaving Nathan to follow her if he wished.

As she walked in, she saw the strange little Japanese man from earlier who appeared to be in deep conversation with Angela Petrelli, while another Japanese man hovered uncertainly, glancing unsurely at his surroundings.

Upon spying Sky, the second Japanese man smiled before walking over to introduce himself.

"Hi, I'm Ando. Are you the girl Hiro rescued?" He asked with a grin.

"Yep. I was going to have a word with him but it seems he's a little busy at the moment…oh yeah, I'm Sky by the way."

Ando bowed quickly then they both glanced over at Hiro to see if Angela had finished talking to him yet. Unable to stop herself, Sky quickly closed her eyes and opened them again as Angela's thoughts came into her mind.

Along with Angela's voice, Sky could hear Ando and Hiro both thinking in Japanese, whilst Nathan seemed to be upstairs. Realising that she was slowly adapting to her abilities, Sky shut out the intercepting thoughts in an attempt to hear Mrs Petrelli.

Sky found that Angela's thoughts seemed muffled, like a voice speaking through a solid, concrete wall. It was like walking through mud to try and hear what she was thinking, but she finally managed to pick up a string of words from the woman's hazy, defensive mind.

_Everything seems to be going as planned –_ the thoughts stopped abruptly as Angela suddenly turned around to meet Sky's eyes, an infuriated expression on her face.

Abandoning her conversation with Hiro, Angela marched over, her thoughts still muffled and impenetrable.

"Don't you _ever_ try that again – do you understand me?" She said in a venomous, but hushed tone, her eyes black and angry.

"I'm sorry Mrs Petrelli. I promise." Sky agreed, embarrassed as Hiro and Ando exchanged baffled looks, wondering why Angela had suddenly seemed so livid.

Suddenly Hiro gasped. "Oh! You have power?"

"Yes, I have a power… which was actually something I was going to ask you about Hiro." Sky said, turning away from Angela Petrelli, whose glare was still fixed on her back.

Hiro walked over and bowed, as had Ando. "I will do my bery best."

Sky smiled at him for a moment, watching from the corner of her eye as Mrs Petrelli strode out of the room, arms crossed and a scowl on her face.

"How do you control where you teleport? And the whole time thing too?" She asked keenly. Seeing their puzzled looks, Sky elaborated. "I can use other people's abilities – sort of like Peter, but less reliable."

"Ah! Peter Petrelli! Yes! He is brother of flying-man!" Hiro shouted excitedly, moving his hand through the air in a representation of someone flying.

"Heh, yes, that's the one."

"Well, I shut…" Hiro closed his eyes again, scrunching up his cheeks into a rather amusing expression before disappearing.

Glancing around in confusion, Sky suddenly jumped as she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Spinning around, she saw Hiro smiling at her. "Yatta!" He shouted happily. "Now you!"

"But…what do I do?"

"Think! Think hard – concentrate, then open eyes…you have arrived!"

Sky bit her lip uncertainly as Hiro and Ando looked at her expectantly. "Ok, well, guess I could give it a try…"

Shutting her eyes, Sky concentrated with all her might on the room next door – not wanting to travel too far in case her attempt failed.

Hiro and Ando watched as Sky vanished before them, and waited for her return. Moments later, Sky poked her head around the hall door, grinning triumphantly.

"That is _amazing!_ How can you ever stop travelling with this ability?" She said enthusiastically, as Hiro looked delighted that she had mastered his ability.

"We are heroes – we must use powers for good… to save the world!" He told her seriously. "You will help us?"

Sky nodded, her eyes sparkling. "Of course! I want to help – we can't let Sylar get away with this!"

"Then you must see this man – Mr Isaac Mendez. He paint future – future comes true! He is in danger." Hiro told Sky, handing her a comic with '10th Wonders' written boldly across the top. Flicking to the back cover, Hiro showed her a picture of a young man with shoulder length brown hair.

"He is _very_ important!" Ando added, tapping the picture for emphasis.

Sky took the comic into her hands, pulled out a pen and wrote the address on the back of her hand, earning curious looks from Hiro and Ando.

"Just in case I end up on the other side of town!" She joked slightly nervously.

Hiro clapped his hand on her shoulder. "No worries! You will be fine! Close your eyes and – pouf! Yatta!"

Sky bowed her head slightly, mimicking their gesture from earlier. "Arigato Hiro-sama, Ando-kun. Thank you."

"You know Japanese?" Hiro asked, puzzled.

"Only a little – just what I've seen on TV! Now, I'd better be off and see this artist… Isaac."

"Hai! Yes! Good luck!" Hiro said to Sky, watching as she took a deep, calming breath, preparing herself to teleport.

"And you!"

"Goodbye Sky!" Called Ando with a grin.

Sky gave one final wave before shutting her eyes lightly for a few moments and feeling a surge of energy rush through her body, disorientating her for a split-second before she adapted.

Opening her eyes slowly, Sky found herself standing in a large, open art studio. Countless paintbrushes were scattered around carelessly, easels stood boldly in the evening sun as the light washed over them, bathing them in a strange golden aura.

A frown creased Sky's face as her eye was caught by the giant painting on the floor; New York was exploding, a large plume of smoke billowing above it in a giant mushroom, the buildings around charcoal black and burnt. Sky remembered what Hiro had told her; that Isaac Mendez could paint the future, and so far, it had all come true.

A lump rose in Sky's throat as she recognised a picture of a young man jumping off a building. Glancing at the date of the bottom of the picture, she quickly realised that Isaac must have painted it months before the article had appeared in the newspapers… _but that's even more impossible!_ Sky thought in shock, as she took in the picture. _How did he know that Peter – presuming that actually__** is**__ Peter – would jump…?_

Sky's thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash as a young man with tousled brown hair staggered into the gallery clutching a notepad. Sky immediately recognised him from the picture in the comic book, even if he did look more worn and tired than the photo.

"How did you get in here?" Isaac asked in confusion, glancing unsurely at the door.

"Oh, I'm sorry – I'm Sky, Sky Driver. I sort of… er…-" She paused, uncertain how to explain, before smiling and holding her hand out.

"Pleased to meet you. Isaac Mendez. Look."

He held out his notepad, and Sky's eyes widened as she took in the rough drawing. Glancing down at her hand, she compared it to the picture and laughed.

"Well, you certainly seem to have a talent Mr Mendez!" Sky commented.

The picture was like the moment frozen in time. The sketch showed Sky with her hand extended, whilst Isaac was handing her the notepad.

"Thank you." He said quietly, then looked Sky up and down, as if assessing her. "By the way you came in, I can only expect that you are one of us."

Sky nodded, catching his meaning. "Yeah, I am." She smiled. "If it's not too much to ask Mr Mendez –"

"Isaac." He interjected.

"Sorry, Isaac. Can you show me what you can do?"

Isaac shook his head. "I don't know. I'm not sure I want to with everything I've painted… besides, I'm an addict. I can't do it without what I need."

Sky sighed, before looking up into his saddened eyes. Wishing she could help, Sky came to a decision and briefly shut her eyes so as to hear his thoughts.

_Why? Why did she leave me for him? I can't paint, not unless I know she's coming back…_

Sky felt a deep pity for the artist, she could see that he was hiding his emotions and was desperately trying to fight the immanent depression. _Simone…_

_That __**name**__ again! _Sky thought. _Who the heck is Simone? And what has she got to do with all this?_

"Hey Isaac, maybe if you paint, you'll see the future you want?"

He shook his head again and turned to Sky, grasping her by her shoulders. "Don't you see? I can't!" He shouted in exasperation, before turning away to disguise a sob.

_I'm so sorry Isaac…_

"I see. I'm sorry Isaac. If you cannot, please can I have a go?"

He looked up, surprised. "Sure, go ahead." Isaac then handed her several paintbrushes and colours, deciding to watch her.

Sky laid down the pallet and put only two colours on it; black, and white. As she reached for a paintbrush, her eyes suddenly misted over, turning white and cloudy causing Isaac to recoil slightly as he observed.

In her mind, Sky could see the pictures clearly. She could see the events happening and began to paint what she saw.

The silence was broken only by Isaac's heavy breathing and the uncomfortable scratch of brushes on canvas.

After over 2 hours, Sky finally stopped, her raised arm dropping slowly to her side as her eyes returned to their normal greeny-grey. Rubbing her forehead, Sky looked puzzled at the black and white works in front of her, amazed that she had managed to produce so much.

One was of a dark figure, his features unrecognisable, but a silver gun gleaming in his hand as he watched another figure kneeling by the entrance, supporting the limp body of a woman whose head was turned away. Sky heard Isaac choke slightly when he saw it, before composing himself and moving onto the next one.

In a similar theme, a dark figure was invading the picture from the right side, but this one had his hand lifted in a telltale gesture. As Sky peered closer at the painting, she noticed a familiar figure pinned against the wall.

"Peter…" She breathed. It was only too apparent who the other person was. Sky could easily visualise his dark smirk, the way his breath tickled her hair as he inhaled her scent…no. _He is a cold-hearted killer and, although he looks very handsome, he is completely and utterly deranged_. Sky told herself firmly, but she couldn't help the way her thoughts kept wandering back to him.

She was jerked out of her reverie by a strong grip on her shoulder. "Peter Petrelli?"

Sky nodded. "I believe that is him-"

She was abruptly cut off as Isaac suddenly became angry and threw her on the floor violently.

"Get out…" He hissed. "Get out before I make you!"

Taking a last, longing glance at her paintings, Sky desperately tried to work out what was drawn on the last painting before teleporting away.

Isaac Mendez watched the young woman run from him, seeing the madness in his eyes, his blood boiling when he heard Peter's name… how dare he…

Rubbing his hand over his eyes before brushing his hair from his face, Isaac turned back to Sky's drawings, wondering what the last could mean.

It showed a young, blonde woman embracing… no, passionately kissing, a tall dark figure whose face was concealed by shadow, but his arm wasn't. In the dim light of the photo, Isaac made out a gleaming, silver Sylar watch.

Sky bit her lip as she ran hastily out of Isaac's studio, he obviously held some sort of terrible grudge against Peter… talking of which… Sky thought back to the painting of Sylar holding him helplessly to the wall.

"I've got to save him – whatever he says!" Her face set and determined, Sky fixed the picture of Peter pinned against the wall by Sylar in her mind, desperately hoping that she would arrive in time. Taking a deep breath to calm her butterflies, Sky gently closed her eyes and focused, repainting the picture in her mind.

Moments later, Sky's eyes fluttered open as she glanced around eagerly, surprised to see that she had successfully arrived in the dingy flat portrayed in her picture. Smiling triumphantly, she glanced around, her heart pounding as she looked for any sign of the impending fight.

_I'm getting better at this! _She thought smugly.

Her heart skipped a beat as a dark figure appeared from the shadows, the lights tricked her eyes as he seemed to blend through the wall whilst chucking softly.

"Hello Sky. I didn't expect to see you back here." The calm, silky voice sent a shiver down Sky's spine, the hairs on the back of her neck rising on end.

"Sylar…" She breathed, anticipating another fight.

"Sylar?" Sylar asked, sounding puzzled as he stepped out into the light, revealing his handsome face and jet black hair. He took a step towards Sky whilst subconsciously running a hand through his messy hair. "It's a while since I've heard you say that name…"

Unnerved, Sky glanced up to meet her assailant's eyes, half-expecting him to suddenly pin her to a wall with his telekinesis. She backed away slightly as he took another step closer.

"Sky? What is it?" The strips of light showed his baffled expression; one eyebrow raised in query, his mouth twitching with the signs of a smirk.

"What do you mean – what the _hell _do you think you're doing!?" Sky shouted suddenly as Sylar pulled her into his arms. Not with the usual, mocking manner, but an altogether more romantic and intimate sense.

Struggling to break out of Sylar's grip, Sky found herself looking up into a pair of dark, beautiful, but confused eyes. As she wriggled in his arms, Sylar only held her closer and caught her wrists in one hand, making her escape attempt futile.

Resorting to desperate measures to keep the psychopath away from her, Sky used her telekinesis to launch various objects across the room at him.

Sighing wearily, Sylar stopped every item with a lazy wave of his hand, causing them to all turn into dust, which promptly spiralled elegantly to lie on the floor.

"How-how did you do that?" Sky asked, amazed, but frightened at the same time.

"I'm special." He stated with a smirk whilst using his telekinesis to paralyze her and pull her back to his chest.

Unwilling to give in so easily, Sky decided to shout for help, making Sylar recoil for a moment before covering her mouth gently with his hand.

"Sshhh!" He hushed. "Calm down Sky." She simply glared then stopped shouting as he slowly moved his hand down, gently fondling her cheeks, chin, then hair as he drew it away.

His touch made Sky's face burn, and much as she wished to deny it, she liked the feel of his skin on hers.

"That's better." Sylar whispered softly, continuing to stroke Sky's hair. "I think I know now, why you think I'm the bad guy – the villain…" He paused, his eyes glittering as they looked into hers. "You're from the past aren't you?"

"Past?" Sky asked, relaxing as she realised that she would never be able to escape Sylar's telekinetic grip.

Releasing the telekinesis, Sylar pulled her into his arms, holding her against his comforting, muscular chest. Sky could hear his heartbeat pounding fast as she laid her head on his shirt submissively, thinking up an escape plan.

"Oh Sky. It's the year 2011… if only you knew the truth."

"What truth? What do you mean? What's happening?" Sky asked, frowning into his comforting embrace, breathing deep his calming scent, finding it almost intoxicating, the rough material of his black jacket brushing against her face.

"You travelled too far. You know what they say Sky…" Sylar pulled away slightly to look down into her eyes. "Practice makes perfect." He grinned at her, his black eyes glittering mysteriously. Before she could react, Sky noticed that Sylar's face had drawn closer to hers, incidentally coinciding with her heart rate increasing as she found her eyes flickering between his beautiful eyes, his messy dark hair, soft lips and slight stubble on his chin.

She didn't think as she drew closer, as their lips touched, as they kissed. She was kissing a murderer. Her murderer. Sky relaxed into the warmth of the gentle, caring kiss as Sylar pulled her closer to his comforting chest, his body's heat spreading into her like a human radiator.

After a few moments, Sky pulled away lightly to look deep into his shining, often clouded but now clear, caring brown eyes.

"You change so much." She breathed in disbelief.

"Because of you." He said simply, stroking her face in an all-to-familiar gesture but this time it contained more meaning. "You know, I finally got that healing ability."

"But you could heal before…? When you took my ability?"

Sylar looked a little uncomfortable for a moment, as he remembered how he had tortured her to get the ability. Sky frowned, unsettled by his unusually considerate attitude.

"I'm sorry Sky… I never wanted to hurt you…I just needed your ability. At the time, that was my only way to get it. Ironic. The thing I came for, was the only thing that stopped me from killing you." He raised an eyebrow and sent her his telltale sexy smirk.

"What do you mean?" Sky asked in confusion, unable to prevent a small smile from appearing briefly on her own lips.

"You don't know yet, do you? You can't die as long as I want to live. When you switch abilities, like from healing to flying… I can fly too, and like you, I am vulnerable… we're similar in so many ways…we depend on one another for survival."

"No! You tried to _kill_ me!" Sky told him, once again pushing the future Sylar away from her as she remembered what he had done, horrified about how she felt towards the killer. "I refuse to keep you alive whilst you continue to murder innocent people. I would rather let myself die than let you hurt anyone else!"

"You will change your mind Sky, once you see that _I_ am the hero." Sylar told her, his eyes betraying a flicker of emotion as he turned away.

Sky shut her eyes as Sylar stood in silence, sending her a deadpan, emotionless stare. Moments later, his soft, dark voice entered her mind.

_She will realise one day… the day she starts calling me Gabriel… _She heard him think as he watched her with his unfathomable black eyes.

"Gabriel?"

"Yes?"  
"What? Is that your name? I thought it was Sylar?" She asked, confused.

"No. Sylar is the name I made for myself. You were the only one to still call me Gabriel." He ran his hand through his hair again, his scrutinizing gaze not once lifting from Sky.

"Gabriel… it's a nice name…" Sky sent him a tentative, nervous smile. _Maybe he's just misunderstood… I mean, I know I'm a total hypocrite, but as I look at him now, he's just lost… maybe that's why I help him…_ She bit her lip. "Can the future be changed?"

Sylar shrugged, his eyes meeting hers. "The future isn't written in stone."

"I guess not…" Sky pondered the strange, un-Sylarish expression. Her head snapped up as she sensed him drawing closer.

"I don't want you to think I'm a bad person. I'm just taking what others don't deserve. I don't _want_ to kill all these people… I _have_ to." He justified.

Sky cocked her head on one side, unsure what to think. "I-I don't know. I just do not know what to do." She put her hand to her temple.

Sylar reached out his own hand, removing Sky's from her forehead and encasing it in his own. "Go back. See Suresh. He'll explain."

Sky nodded, raising her head to gaze at the killer, the butterflies in her stomach becoming increasingly agitating as his face drew closer to hers again.

_This is wrong, but I like it… does that make me a bad person too?_ Sky thought, her eyes running over Sylar's handsome features.

"Incredible." He whispered softly.

"What is?"

"You. So complex, so… beautiful." He stroked her face gently, his eyes clear and caring.

Regaining control over herself, Sky quickly dodged away as he leaned in, knowing that it couldn't continue, she was meant to be saving Peter – not kissing the future version of a psychopath.

"Goodbye Gabriel." She said sadly, before quickly closing her eyes, regret flooding her body as she switched powers once more. Sylar lunged forward to grab her arm, but he was too late, Sky had already teleported and his hand passed through the empty air.

He stared at the spot where she had disappeared for several minutes before coming to his senses. Straightening up, his form momentarily blurred before turning into Nathan Petrelli.

"Just you wait Sky. I'll be the most special of them all." He announced to himself with a smirk before running to the window, fearlessly jumping out before steadily rising into the air, a white paper trail cutting through the perfect azure sky as he reached supersonic.

Sky cautiously opened her eyes, her muscles tensed as she took in her surroundings. She was stood in a long, dark hallway outside an apartment door labelled 613 in gold numbers.

Sky took in a few deep breaths, recovering from the strange, surreal encounter with the passionate future Sylar.

She raised her hand to knock on the door, _I'll just have to guess that this is the right apartment… and the right time! _Sky thought, biting her lip in worry, a frown creasing her forehead.

Sky jumped at the sound of a loud crash and a few muffled bangs and scrapings as someone apparently struggled to reach the door. Sky's frown deepened - it sounded like some large, weighty pieces of furniture were being moved hurriedly across the floor. _But who the heck puts furniture in front of their front door? Sounds like this scientist is a bit eccentric…_

In boredom, Sky turned away from the door to inspect the opposite wall. She swivelled around abruptly as she heard the door creak open, freezing in shock as she recognised the tall, lightly stubbled, messy haired, handsome figure.

"Hello Sky. What a nice surprise to see you." Sylar's calm voice mocked, before his hand reached out for her shoulder and dragged her into the apartment.

"I want to see Dr. Suresh. Get _off_ me!" She shouted as Sylar roughly tightened his grip on her arm when she tried to pull away.

As she looked up into his eyes, Sky quickly realised that this was no longer the caring future Sylar, but the present-day psychopath.

"Gabriel! Let me go now!" Sky repeated, using his real name.

Sylar looked shocked for a moment, cocking his head on one side as he briefly considered how she knew his name, before quickly lifting his hand and slamming her against a nearby wall using his telekinesis.

"My name is Sylar!" He snarled, his eyes burning with anger.

Sky took in a deep breath as her injuries healed, then raised her eyes to meet Sylar's. She had decided that she was going to figure out if he really could change. According to the future, he would.

"Poor Gabriel, underneath all that acting, all that pretence, you're just a scared little boy…"

"How do you know that name?" He growled, his displeasure obvious, but precisely as Sky had predicted, he was curious.

"I think that deep down, you _know_ you're not a bad person. You actually want to do the right thing – to be a hero. You just don't know how…"

Sylar was obviously unsettled by the change in power, Sky was now in control. She was agitating him, while remaining completely unfazed, her eyes sparkling with secrets.

Without even realising, Sky switched abilities as suddenly, a sharp object hurtled across the room, burying itself deep into Sylar's chest.

"How did you do that?" He asked, raising a dignified eyebrow. Reaching to his sternum, Sylar was shocked to find an unstemmable flow of blood seeping through his fingers. "What are you doing?" He asked, his eyes dark, his eyebrows joined in a deep frown.

Sky smiled at him benignly, remembering what the future Sylar had told her. '_You can't die as long as I want to live……we depend on one another for survival.' His future version said, which must mean that he can't heal as long as I'm using any ability apart from healing._ She realised.

"You know!" Sylar shouted, holding out his blood-stained hand to push her into the wall. His face was no longer composed and calm, but dark and distorted with rage, his eyes cold and piercing, his mouth fixed in a solemn line. "You're going to tell me how to control this ability! Why won't I heal?!" Sky simply smirked at his increasingly desperate attempts to force her to explain, she was truly in control now.

"Show me your power!" Sylar shouted, incensed, before throwing her carelessly across the room, making Sky slam hard against the wall, bleeding copiously as she also failed to heal.

Sylar staggered slightly, grabbing hold of a nearby desk for support as his wound produced a river of blood, leaving him weak and fatigued as he used his telekinesis to pull Sky closer to him. To his mind, there was only one way he could heal, and that was by killing her before his wound killed him.

He watched, puzzled as she pulled herself to her feet, blood trickling down her chin, her eyes set and determined as her fearless gaze met his.

Sylar's eyebrows lowered darkly as he realised he was loosing too much blood, he couldn't use his telekinesis any longer. Taking a shaking step towards her, Sylar tried a different approach.

"I didn't mean to…" He gasped, holding both his hands to his chest. "Please Sky…I can't control it…"

Sky bit her lip as he collapsed at her feet. _What should I do?_ She asked herself.

She paused, looking down at the helpless Sylar, a war of logic and emotion waging between her heart and mind.

Sky decisively bent down to kneel beside the dying Sylar, and leant to whisper in his ear.

"I know you won't kill me. 'Cause I went into the future. I saw the future you. You were in love with me." She told him gently, before reaching out her hand and closing her eyes, promptly feeling her wounds heal at an accelerated rate and watching Sylar's skin knit back together, closing the wound as he took in a deep, relieved breath of air.

She gently touched his forehead and his dark, unreadable eyes flickered open.

"Really?" He asked throatily, whilst elegantly lifting one of his thick, black eyebrows. "Well you were wrong."

Completely recovered, Sylar raised his eyebrows mockingly and pulled himself to his feet with ease. Blood still dripped from his clothes as he approached her.

Sky automatically took a step backwards, wondering if he really was going to kill her now that he knew her weakness.

Sylar's eyes were unreadable as he reached out to hold Sky's arms, keeping her locked in place without the use of telekinesis. A dark smirk played on his lips as he looked down at her before gently cupping her cheek with his hand.

Sky trembled as she realised what he was going to do. Once again, her gaze was attracted to Sylar's hypnotic black eyes and smirking lips. His smirk grew wider as he saw her reaction, and he leaned in to capture her lips in a passionate kiss. His hands pulling her head closer as he stroked her hair, Sky's arms wrapping comfortably around his waist as the kiss deepened.

She knew that only moments ago, this man had been trying to kill her, and now she was kissing him lustfully. His tongue forced entrance to her mouth before exploring it curiously causing Sky to let out a small, involuntary moan, caught in the moment.

Hearing her moan, Sylar pulled away with a smug grin plastered over his face, his eyebrows raised cockily.

"Now who's in control?" He whispered softly, sending shivers down Sky's spine.

_Is he just playing with me? Or was the future Sylar telling the truth? Does he love me - or my abilities?_

Sky was saved from answering, as she was cut short by a quiet bang and jumped as Sylar lunged forward without warning, roughly clasping a hand over her mouth.

"My good _friend_ Dr Mohinder Suresh will walk through that door in just under… 26 seconds. Now Sky, I want you to play possum with me and the scientist won't get hurt… however, any signals and…" He gestured cutting open the scientist's forehead then leaned closer. "And trust me, unlike us, he can't heal."

Sylar smirked, letting his hand lightly touch her hair whilst Sky glared at him unflinchingly, slightly unnerved by his sudden change in personality. "Then again, what is another innocent life in exchange for your freedom…?" He mused, his mocking face looking pensive as he tried to provoke Sky. He abruptly stopped talking as footsteps like drumbeats approached the door. Sylar glanced down at his torso and quickly reached for a nearby t-shirt, lifting it over his head to cover the large blood-stains on his top, just in time as the door handle turned.

"Welcome back Mohinder." Sylar greeted with a charming smile, flinching slightly as he heard the flat door slam, sounding like a deafening crash of thunder to his enhanced hearing.

"Oh, hello Zane."

Sky's eyes widened as she recognised the tall man entered, the light revealing his familiar, handsome, Indian features.

"Hold on a sec, _you're_ the scientist? Then what the heck are you doing driving taxi's?!" Sky exclaimed, stepping forward as the airport taxi driver looked equally surprised to see her, his shocked expression quickly switching to an amused smile, revealing his perfect white teeth.

"I see I have already made a lasting impression." He joked, making Sylar chuckle loudly before shooting the young woman a sharp, meaningful glance as a reminder of her agreement whilst Mohinder turned away to lay his bag on the floor. "So Zane, who is your friend?"

"I'm Sky. Sky Driver." Sky cut in before Sylar had chance to answer for her.

Sylar smirked, his eyes flashing as he playfully laid an arm around Sky's shoulders, daring her to step out of place.

Shuddering involuntarily from the villain's unexpected, but strangely pleasant contact, Sky forced herself to smile at Mohinder, silently trying to warn the grinning Indian of how much danger he was in.

Seemingly oblivious to Sky's attempts to warn him, Mohinder grinned again and walked into the kitchen area, Sylar gently steering Sky in the same direction.

"I found Sky out on the streets the other night – she's got powers too!" Sylar announced with faked enthusiasm, "So I thought I'd mention I knew someone who could help her, and she-" He nudged her, "-Was just _begging_ to come see you."

Suppressing her surge of anger, Sky nodded reluctantly with a small smile which failed to reach her eyes. Sylar just continued to smirk as Mohinder listened to his version of how he had encountered Sky. The young blonde diverted her eyes uncomfortably as the killer spun a complicated web of lies, sometimes nudging her to confirm his untruths.

"…So here she is." He finished with a smug smirk dancing at the corner of his lips.

Mohinder quickly looked Sky up and down in fascination. "It's incrdible… how the body seemingly stays _exactly _the same but in reality, is so much more powerful." He shook his head in wonder. "What exactly can you do Sky?"

Sky shrugged, unsure what she was supposed to say. "I'm still finding out really. I mean, so far I can use telekinesis and er… read minds… apart from that…" She said evasively.

"Mohinder's been making a list of people – special people – like us Sky, so we can help them." Sylar told her in a fake, over-enthusiastic voice.

"Oh, er, great." She said, restraining her sarcasm as Sylar raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Meanwhile, Mohinder had sat himself down at his desk, tapping away on his laptop whilst Sky and Sylar exchanged looks of contempt, and in Sylar's case, amusement.

Suddenly, Sylar inhaled deeply, making Sky turn away from the kitchen to see him leaning over Mohinder's shoulder, his dark eyes glittering with excitement as he looked at the screen.

"So this is the list." He said, a quiet thrill detectable in his voice.

"Yes, what's left of it, most of these people are missing – or dead. I want to run yours, and then Sky's DNA samples against my father's formula." Mohinder explained, plugging something into the laptop. "I'm going to take you both someplace safe."

Sky bit her lip and shifted uncomfortably, knowing all-to-well that the danger was already here, standing right next to her in the guise of Zane Taylor.

Almost as if guessing her thoughts, Sylar gave her another dark smirk and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer to him. Sky shivered slightly, earning her a quiet chuckle before Sylar turned back to Mohinder.

"But this is your father's formula. This is how he made the list, how he found me?" Sylar asked in a voice of puzzled innocence, his eyes however, sparkled with devious mal intent.

"Yes, although I haven't found out what 'it' is looking for – a specific gene, codons, there are three billion base players in human DNA…"  
He trailed off, frowning as he continued to type on the computer whilst Sylar watched in fascination and Sky glanced repeatedly at Sylar's watch which was resting with his hand, on her shoulder.

"Did my DNA help?" Asked Sylar hopefully.

Mohinder let out a sigh and covered his face with his hands in exasperation, before moodily pushing his chair back from the laptop and rising to his feet irritably.

"No."

Sylar covered his smirk with difficulty and instead grinned down at Sky, stroking her hair gently whilst rubbing her arm. Sky glanced up, feeling a blush rise to her face as she saw Sylar looking down at her intensely, wondering what she was thinking.

"Mohinder." Sky suddenly spoke up, diverting her gaze from Sylar's dark, mesmerizing one. "Why don't you just leave it alone for the moment? It might help."

"Yeah, you've been driving all night, why don't you just take a break?" Sylar added helpfully.

"I can't!" The scientist exclaimed, "These people are in danger – we have to warn them… if Sylar gets to them first-"

"Exactly!" Sylar cut him off, whilst Sky watched on in silence. "So let me help. I mean, here…" He strode over to Mohinder's giant map and pulled a scrap of paper off. "This one is in New York, I'll um… Isaac Mendez, I'll call him and you just…relax, just erm, take a minute."

Sky frowned at the mention of Isaac Mendez. _Great, if he wasn't in danger before, he certainly is now._

"You're very kind." Mohinder smiled gratefully at Sylar, touching his arm gently in thanks. Sky glanced at the stove to find that the kettle was boiling.

"Do you want me to get that?" She volunteered, hoping to escape Sylar's watchful gaze.

Mohinder nodded and smiled. "The cups are on the side."

Sylar raised an eyebrow in a silent warning as Sky poured the tea and brought it back over to them.

"You have no idea how alone I used to feel. How insignificant. You have given me hope." Sylar informed Mohinder as they accepted their cups.

"Hope is great. We need caffeine." The scientist replied and blew gently on his tea.

"To new friends!" Sylar toasted with a smile before taking a sip of his tea. "Mmm. This is good. What is it?"

Sky took a long draught herself. _He's right, it is rather… different._

"Chai. It's a special blend my father brought from India." Mohinder told them, still blowing on his tea, causing the misty steam to twirl towards the ceiling.

Holding the cup between his hands, Sylar glanced up at Mohinder. "So who are we going to call next?" He asked with a grin.

Mohinder quickly sent Sky an apologetic look as he laid his tea aside.

"No one. I already have you Mr Sylar."

Sky suddenly felt light-headed and watched as Sylar collapsed on the floor. Holding her hand to her head, Sky fell soon after but was caught by Mohinder's awaiting arms.

"I'm sorry Sky." He whispered, just before she fell unconscious.

Sky awoke groggily, finding herself sat down on a chair with something plugged into her nose. Stirring uneasily, she tentatively raised her head to see Mohinder.

"Urgh… what happened Mohinder? Why am I here? Did you do this?" She asked, finding that she was unable to move her leaden limbs.

"I really am very sorry. But I have to take precautions if you're travelling with him." Mohinder replied, gesturing Sylar with a small jerk of his head.

"But I'm not! I came here to see you, and find that _he's_ here. I want nothing to do with his plans to kill people." Sky defended herself honestly.

"I'm sure that's true Sky, but I can't risk letting him get away again. I will let you go as soon as I have finished with him." Mohinder promised, his voice full of regret.

They were interrupted as Sylar suddenly began to struggle in the seat next to Sky, trying to break his restraints.

"I can't feel my fingers." He groaned to Mohinder, who sent one last regretful look at Sky before striding over to stand in front of Sylar.

"It's the curare, it induces paralysis of the brain, which means you can't control your abilities." Mohinder informed him.

Sylar groaned weakly. "Whoever you think I am, I'm not."

"You're the man who murdered my father. Do you still expect me to believe you're Zane Taylor?" Mohinder asked angrily. "Zane was killed three days ago." He showed Sylar a gory photo of a man lying dead, brain disembowelled, on his laptop. "The same day I met you, and you thought you were _so_ clever giving me his DNA." Mohinder sneered, before continuing. "You're a parasite. You killed my father and fed off his work."

Sky watched with interest as Mohinder produced a tuning fork from his belt and banged it hard on the chair before holding it to Sylar's ear, making the killer cry out in pain.

"Let me hear you say it!" Mohinder shouted over Sylar's cries of agony. "Tell me your name. Say it!" Sylar screamed out again in unbearable pain. "I want to hear you say it!" Mohinder repeated forcefully.

"SYLAR!" He shouted finally, gasping breathlessly, as to his relief, Mohinder finally removed the tuning fork, satisfied.

Mohinder strode over to his desk and rummaged in his drawers, producing a gun which he carefully laid on the surface.

"No Mohinder. Don't do this." Sky told him shaking her head, silently begging him to put the gun back.

The scientist turned back to Sky with sorrowful eyes. "I do not want you to see this Sky." He told her, approaching her with his arms behind his back. "Forgive me."

Before she had time to react, Mohinder whipped out the book from behind his back and hit the back of Sky's head, causing the young woman to slump forward in her seat, her vision once again consumed by the dark realm of unconsciousness.

_**:D I love future Sylar! :D Hehe! **_

_**Sorry about ending it so badly, but it turned out too long really… ah well, it's all going to have to go in the next chapter instead. Also, sorry about taking so long to update, but apparently it's my last exam for ages on Tuesday – so I'll hopefully improve!**_

_**Please continue to review!**_

_**And thank you so much to everyone who has already reviewed – PrettyAtMidnight, NANNERPUSS and axara2 – your support really helps me get on with my work :) **_

_**Thanks again,**_

_**~ TheMastersDaughter**_


	6. Flying

**Two Sides Of The Same Coin**

Sky lifted her head to feel a spasm of pain stab down her back. She pulled unproductively at her restraints in an attempt to rise from her chair, but she was weak and her mind hazy from the drug she had been given. as her surroundings slowly came into focus.

"Mohinder…" She whispered, looking around for the geneticist.

She gasped in horror as her surroundings gradually came into focus, greeting her with a horrifying sight. Sylar was lying unconscious, apparently knocked out by a collision with the map board. Next to him was Peter. Peter who was supposed to heal…and frozen in horror, hands covering his mouth, was Mohinder.

"I was too late. I'm so sorry Peter." He said to Peter's motionless figure.

"Mohinder! What the hell happened? What's wrong with Peter?" Sky shouted, abruptly jolting the geneticist out of his mournful reverie.

Mohinder shook his head, speechless, but slowly walked over, trancelike, to Sky's chair and released her restraints. He dumbly watched as the young woman rose to her feet, eyes wide as she took in the damage to her surroundings before looking back at the irresponsive geneticist. Agitated by his lack of action, Sky unexpectedly lunged forwards to slap Mohinder, causing him to recoil in pure shock. Grasping his cheek, Mohinder finally glanced up tentatively, his expression fearful and worried.

"What was that for?" He asked indignantly, his voice hushed and broken with anxiety.

"For tying me up. Mohinder, tell me what happened here. What happened to Peter?" Sky asked angrily, gesturing towards Peter's motionless form.

Her expression softened as the scientist bit down on his lip, looking down at the floor guiltily, his eyes falling once again on Peter's body before glancing up to meet Sky's darkened eyes.

"We must go before Sylar wakes up, or we'll be even worse trouble. Help me lift Peter and we can get out of here." Mohinder told Sky shakily, a meaningful, serious look fixed on his face, despite his obvious fear.

Sky nodded. "Don't worry, I can handle this." She reached out her hand. "Take my hand, but I want an explanation as soon as we're out. Deal?"

Mohinder gave her a small smile of agreement, then frowned curiously at her outstretched hand. Rolling her eyes at his uncertainty, Sky quickly reached out to grab Mohinder's soft, warm hand in her own before closing her eyes and focusing hard on an image of the Petrelli mansion in her mind.

Mohinder exclaimed in shock as his surroundings disappeared and were replaced by a street in Manhattan. Sky and Mohinder were standing on the steps to a large mansion with the lifeless Peter at their feet, a name sign outside the grand building proudly announced that it was the Petrelli Mansion.

"Come on, we'd better move before people start getting suspicious." Sky prompted Mohinder, glancing around worriedly at the taxi outside the building, and numerous passersby who were sending the couple strange looks.

"How-you can use teleportation? As well as telepathy? Do you have multiple abilities?" The geneticist asked in awe, his eyebrows creasing into a disbelieving frown.

"Isn't it obvious?" Sky turned away before he had chance to answer and desperately tried to pull Peter towards the entrance. Slinging his limp arm around her shoulder, she used her free arm to support his dead weight.

Sky breathed out in relief, as suddenly the weight was lightened as Mohinder stepped forward to lessen her burden before leading him up the steps to the door and ringing the bell.

The ringing resounded throughout the large house as Sky tried to support Peter's slumped weight on her aching shoulder.

"Let me take him." Mohinder told her, before sending her a beautiful smile and gently touching her arm.

Sky nodded, still exhausted from the drugs she had taken earlier. Feeling weak herself, the young woman quickly sat herself on a nearby windowsill as she swayed dangerously. She listened, slowly getting to her feet as she heard the door open and Angela Petrelli's voice over the gushing of traffic from the city.

"What is it?" She asked Mohinder.

"I'm sorry. It's Peter." The poor geneticist told her remorsefully.

Sky slowly drew herself to her feet, closing her eyes she quickly sensed that the atmosphere was not a good one and switched abilities to make herself invisible, silently revelling in her powers.

"Get _out!_" Angela suddenly shouted, as Mohinder fled the mansion looking terrified.

Seizing her opportunity, Sky slipped through the gap in the door and soundlessly stepped into the hallway, following the infuriated Angela Petrelli to the lounge where Peter was laid spread-eagled.

A tear fell unnoticed to the ground by Sky's invisible feet as she watched from the corner of the room as first the stone-cold, emotionless Angela, then the stern, heartless politician, Nathan sobbed uncontrollably over the valued son and brother's body.

_I could have done something… I know I could… now look… Peter's dead because of me… _Sky thought guiltily, biting down hard on her lip, forcing back the threatening tears as she watched the devastated Nathan continue to cry into his brother's hair. Sky had never realised that he cared this much, she never realised he could weep. In her eyes he was just a cold, selfish political figurehead. But not anymore.

She watched in silence as finally, Nathan and Angela left Peter's body to discuss unbearable subjects in the kitchen.

At last, Sky moved forwards, no longer invisible, and knelt at Peter's side, unwilling to believe that he was dead. The young woman cocked her head slightly as she heard footsteps approach and walk to Peter's other side.

Sky's eyes widened slightly as she looked up to recognise the cheerleader from only days previously. She looked different, more drawn and serious. Her brow disfigured by a frown which hid her tears.

The cheerleader briefly glanced up to meet Sky's staring eyes, and they exchanged a quick, sharp nod. _Claire… that's her name. _Remembered Sky as she recognised the girls deep, sad green eyes.

"Peter…" Claire whispered in a harsh, constrained voice, squeezing Peter's hand whilst Sky watched on, wordless. She leant closer to Peter, lowering her voice until Sky had to strain her ears to hear. "I didn't get to know you. You were the only one who could keep me safe. I thought you were like me."

Sky felt the guilt on her stomach grow heavier, hearing the desperate plea in the young girl's anxious, grief torn voice.

The two girls kneeled in statue-like silence, watching Peter's expressionless, pale, dead face for any sign of life.

"Claire… you can heal can't you?" Sky suddenly whispered, unexpectedly breaking the chilling silence, her gaze still fixed on Peter's stone-grey face.

"How-how do you know that?" Claire asked in shock, immediately tensing her muscles and rising onto her haunches defensively.

"I can do it too." Sky said simply, gently brushing Peter's unruly, dark hair from his face, remembering how he had repeatedly done that… it had always made her smile.

Claire nodded dumbly, her gaze falling back to Peter.

"How did you know Peter?"

Claire looked up, this time not bothering to conceal the tears in her eyes. "He saved my life… he was my hero. And I've just found out that he… he's my uncle." She sobbed, causing Sky to stand up and awkwardly place her arm around Claire's shoulders.

"There's got to be something – _anything_ we can do!" Sky whispered, using all her strength to hold back her own tears.

"What? He's dead. We can't do anything." Claire told Sky, sobbing helplessly into her shoulder.

Sky pulled away slightly and rose to her feet as Claire watched her curiously. Shaking her head, Sky reached down to stroke Peter's head caringly, wishing desperately that he would come back. Suddenly, her hand made contact with something sharp and hard, cutting through her delicate skin.

Sky's mind quickly flew back to the apartment; glass was scattered all over the floor. Sylar was lying unconscious by the bookcase… but the glass…_what if I take it out…?_ Sky wondered.

Cringing as the glass cut deeper into her fingers, Sky closed her eyes, biting her lip as she slowly drew out the deadly shard and laid it in Claire's outstretched hands. Quickly wiping her bloody hands off on her jacket, Sky checked once more for a pulse. She laid her head on his chest momentarily before exchanging meaningful looks with Claire.

Both young women jumped, as Peter's body suddenly jerked up, the large gash on his forehead disappearing rapidly as he began coughing uncontrollably, holding his chest as if in pain.

The murmuring of voices in the kitchen ceased as Angela and Nathan ran into the lounge, expressions of disbelief plastered over their faces. "Peter…" Angela cried incredulously as Nathan appeared behind her, looking stunned but incredibly glad to see his brother alive again.

"Claire? Sky? How did you-?" Peter's eyes widened at the large fragment of glass in Claire's hands. "You saved my life!" He grinned gratefully, once again brushing his unruly fringe from his eyes.

"No, it was Sky. She saved your life. She's the hero." Claire told Peter with a small smile as he hugged her close, and then reached out for Sky.

"Thank you Sky. Like Claire said. You're the hero."

Sky shivered in relief as Peter held her in a close embrace. She breathed deep his familiar scent, but sensed that behind his act, he was in great pain.

As she drew away, she made eye contact and reached out to him with her mind.

_Peter, what's wrong? You're hurting._ Sky asked as Peter conversed lightly with Claire.

_Not now._ He answered shortly.

Their exchange was interrupted as Nathan and Angela intervened, subconsciously pushing Sky aside, as they hugged Peter with glad, hushed whispers, surrounding him in a circle of family only.

Sky subtly slipped away towards the hall, leaving the Petrelli's and Claire to their family reunion as she felt another wave of homesickness for her own family. So much had changed in the last few days. More had happened within the last few weeks, than the entire twenty years of her life.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Sky quietly opened the door to step out into the hall.

_Wait._ She heard Peter, and paused to look around, finding the young man right behind her.

Gently pulling her behind him into an empty bedroom, Peter closed the door behind them, before showing the flickering emotions hidden behind his eyes.

He looked so hurt, so guilty, so sad. Something terrible had happened. Sky watched as he trembled slightly, and ran to embrace him.

She held him for what felt like hours as he sobbed into her shoulder. She didn't once ask him what was wrong, she simply held and supported him as she knew was necessary.

Eventually, Peter stopped crying, and pulled away, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I'm sorry Sky…" He whispered hoarsely, and gently cupped her cheek.

"Peter… please. What happened?" Sky asked, holding his hand to her cheek, and gently wiping the tears away from his own eyes.

_Simone…_ He thought wordlessly, his brown eyes sparkling with tears.

"Oh Peter…" Sky sighed and reached up to hold his face within her hands.

"No. It's not that. I killed her. Isaac, he was trying to shoot me… then he… he shot Simone… it's all my fault!" Peter told her, devastated, angrily pushing his bangs from his face.

Sky embraced him once more, conveying all her sympathy to him through that one, simple action. Peter quickly pulled away, squeezing her hand gently as someone rapped loudly on the door and entered without hesitation.

"Sky, there are some packages for you by the door." Nathan called, looking in concern at his brother's tearstained cheeks. "You alright Pete?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine Nathan. You'd better check on Claire. She wants to know her father." Peter told him, plastering a fake smile across his face.

Nathan looked uncomfortable for a moment, and opened his mouth to say something before rethinking it and walking back into the hall.

"Oh yeah, there was something I wanted to ask you about." Peter said suddenly, diverting his gaze from the door through which Nathan had vanished.

"Go ahead."

"I er, wondered if you'd like to come have lunch with Claire and me tomorrow? So you could get introduced properly."

"Really?" Sky asked, shocked. Peter nodded. "I'd love to if that's okay with her – unless you two want to spend some quality uncle-niece time together?"

Peter's eyes glittered and he sent her an irresistibly crooked smile. "No worries. _I_ want you to come with us okay?"

Sky grinned gratefully and pulled Peter into a close embrace. "Thank you Peter."

"I just wanna see you happy." Peter said cutely, absentmindedly trailing his hand over Sky's cheek to her ear, then gently entwining his fingers in her hair with boyish curiosity. The young man tenderly supported her head as he lowered his face to bury it into her sweet-smelling, soft, golden hair, inhaling her scent as he protectively drew her closer to his chest.

Feeling him pull her closer, Sky smiled and laid her head on Peter's shoulder. The young woman's heart panged with sympathy as she realised that, being the kind-hearted, selfless person he was, Peter was often perceived as insecure and weak by his mother and brother. But it was only because they didn't understand the young man's compassion and need for affection. _Hearts of stone_. Thought Sky.

A pleasant tingling sensation ran through her body as Peter's warm breath tickled her neck, and Sky gently moved her hand to stroke the young man's hair, as he had to her so many times.

After several long minutes comforting one another in the silence of their embrace, Peter pulled away gently, a red tinge colouring his cheeks as he diverted his eyes from Sky's.

The young woman smiled. _He's so sweet._ She thought, leaning forward to carefully sweep the bangs out of his mysterious brown eyes, then going on tiptoe to lightly brush his forehead with her lips.

Peter's eyes met hers again as he instinctively laid a hand on Sky's shaped waist, before dipping his head to tentatively press his lips to the unflawed, soft white flesh of her neck.

Sky shivered in reaction to Peter's surprisingly bold, but extremely gentle contact. He drew away quickly when he felt her slight discomfort and rested his forehead on hers, trying to read her impenetrable grey-green eyes.

"Sorry." He whispered apologetically, worried that he had somehow scared her as he looked guiltily down at the floor like a puppy who had disobeyed its master. Peter felt responsible for putting her in an awkward position, especially after all she had gone through in the terrible incident with the drunken youths. He couldn't blame her for pulling away.

"N-no. It's alright. I'm just… well, not used to guys really." Sky stuttered awkwardly as she shifted uncomfortably, the barriers around her mind rising defensively as Peter gently probed her thoughts.

"Not used to guys?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow in faked amusement, wondering if she would prove his suspicions right.

"It's just… I've never really let myself get close to anyone like this before." She admitted in embarrassment, glancing up quickly to meet Peter's concerned eyes.

"That's okay Sky, we'll take it easy." A crooked, irresistible smile spread across his face as he reached down for Sky's trembling hand, squeezing it reassuringly. He felt protective of the blundering, young English girl; she was so vulnerable, yet so determined – sometimes to the point of stupidity. "C'mon."

The young man gently draped an arm around her shoulders as he guided her towards the front door as if she was the one who needed comforting. Sky bit down on her lip in worry, hardly aware of Peter's concerned glances. She liked Peter a lot, and he seemed to care about her more than anyone, but she felt dirty, tainted. Sky couldn't help thinking back to the passionate kiss with the irresistibly handsome, dark, psychopathic man who had tried to kill her on numerous occasions. There was no way she deserved someone as good or kind-hearted as Peter.

"Sky, are you alright?" Peter asked in concern, spinning her around to meet his earnest, kind, sparkling brown eyes.

"Erm, look, Peter… there's something I have to tell you…" Sky began unsurely, subconsciously reaching to twirl a strand of hair around her finger nervously. "I-"

_I what? What do I say? I secretly quite like a psychopathic monster of a man who has tried to kill both of us on more than one occasion. Hell, that would go down like a house on fire._ She thought gloomily.

"Sky? What is it? What's wrong?" Peter asked anxiously, holding her shoulders so she looked directly into his concerned eyes.

"I don't want to loose you - when this explosion happens… please Peter. Be careful." Sky improvised quickly, cursing her cowardliness.

"You won't. I promise I'll be here to protect you." Peter told her, obviously touched by her fear of loosing him. He laid a soft kiss on her forehead, before brushing his unruly hair from his eyes, briefly revealing his concealed pain behind the mask of gentle concern. The young woman instinctively reached for Peter's hand, squeezing it reassuringly in her own as he turned around, startled.

"Let me help you Peter." She whispered softly as a small, feeble smile crossed his sad face as he read her concerned expression and tenderly touched her cheek.

"You already have Sky." He said gently. "Now, let's go get these parcels." The young man decided, quickly changing the subject to less depressing matters.

Peter pushed the door open and they walked into the main hall to find three large, rectangular objects wrapped in brown paper leaning against the wall next to the front door.

"What the heck…?" She turned back to see Peter looking equally confused, then walked forwards to retrieve her anonymous parcels, her curiosity burning like an unstoppable fire.

Peter swiftly jumped in front of Sky and pulled the mysterious packages from her grip with a crooked grin, chivalrously carrying them into the lounge.

_Do men __**always**__have to treat women like they're completely incapable? _Sky thought to herself, sighing.

_Nah, I just thought you might like a break! _Peter replied, his eyes less upset and glinting with a hint of his usual mischief.

"Ha-ha Peter. You're the one who was supposedly 'dead' only a while ago… anyway, what was the deal with that?" Sky asked, a frown momentarily crossing her face as she cocked her head on one side curiously.

Peter shook his head, indicating that he didn't want to talk about it yet. "Let's just open these first 'k?"

"Okay… as long as you tell me afterwards…" Sky mused unsurely before dumping herself down on the vacant sofa, quickly pulling one of the parcels from Peter's grip whilst his attention was diverted, and depositing the package on her lap.

"Hey!" Peter exclaimed as the other two parcels slipped from his grip and Sky laughed, using her telekinesis to gently push the young man back into the armchair behind him.

Sky winked. "Told you I'm getting the hang of this!"

"Wanna bet?" Peter asked, using his own telekinetic power to pull the paintings back towards him.

"No, cause I'll win!" Sky said cheekily, throwing a cushion at him with her mind and using the temporary distraction to physically grab the paintings back. She turned around, laughing, only to find that Peter had disappeared into thin air.

Slightly wary, Sky closed her eyes, unsure which ability she wanted to use but hoping an idea would come into her head. Her eyes flickered open moments later only to find that nothing seemed different… except… the paintings she had just dropped were hovering, unsupported, in the air. But she wasn't using her telekinesis. _And it can't be invisibility. _Sky thought with a frown.

Sky jolted in surprise as she felt a pair of hands close around her waist and spun around swiftly to find an amused Peter standing behind her with a cheeky smirk painted across his face.

"You can stop time! Did you get that from Hiro?" He asked, sounding impressed.

"Must have done… I didn't know I could do that before… I just let my ability choose itself just then… wow! So I can stop time? You have no idea what I would've given to have this in secondary school!"

"Heh. Well, you got it now!" Peter grinned, brushing his unruly fringe from his eyes as he pulled Sky closer.

Once again feeling uncomfortable, Sky unfroze time and sent another cushion at Peter before reclaiming her parcels with an innocent smile.

Peter raised an eyebrow at her repeatedly odd behaviour, feeling tempted to try and read her mind. _I've gotta honour our agreement! _He told himself firmly, before glancing back at Sky who had sat back down and was proceeding attack the rectangular object's crumpled, brown wrappings.

He heard a gasp as the ripped paper floated like old autumn leaves to the carpeted floor, covering it in a layer of brown paper. Leaning forward curiously, Peter's eyes widened in shock as he took in the picture on the painting.

It was an all-too-accurate painting of Peter holding a dying Simone, seeping blood as she entered the inescapable darkness. Sky glanced up at Peter, biting her lip guiltily as she saw his ashen expression.

"Was this… her?" Sky asked, carefully resting a hand on his trembling shoulder.

Peter nodded, his teary eyes transfixed to the painting which had predicted his girlfriend's death. "Did-did you paint this?"

"I'm so sorry Peter. I see she meant a lot to you… I wish I could have warned you…" Sky tentatively rubbed his shoulder.

Peter looked up at her gratefully before his eyes fell back down on the picture.

"It was all my fault Sky. Don't blame yourself. I incensed Isaac – to the point of madness…" A single tear ran down his cheek as he reached out a hand to stroke the figure of Simone. "Sorry…" He whispered.

Sky lowered her head uncomfortably and turned away, collecting up the other two paintings, not wishing to cause any more trouble. As she edged silently towards the door, Peter suddenly turned around and caught her hand in his.

"Wait. Open them Sky." Peter requested, pulling her to sit next to him on the sofa.

Sighing gently, Sky nodded. "Okay." She swiftly proceeded to tear open the wrappings of the second parcel, and Peter the third.

"I think I know what happened in this one." He told her, gazing down at the picture resting in his hands.

Sky's eyes widened as she recognised the figures within the painting she herself had just uncovered. Panicking slightly, she quickly hid the painting behind her back and edged forward to see the painting in Peter's hands.

"That's you and… Sylar right?" She asked cautiously, watching his expression crease into a frown.

"Yeah… you were unconscious then…" He trailed off, Sky's eyes begging him to continue and explain what had happened. "Whilst you were still drugged, Mohinder tried to kill Sylar. But Sylar was too strong… too smart… he broke out of his restraints and started torturing Mohinder. Lucky I arrived before he did some serious damage. So Sylar tried to take my powers. He was too strong for me too – too powerful… I lost and he killed me. But Mohinder was the hero – he saved your life by using his father's map to knock Sylar unconscious. That's when you woke up." Peter glanced up from the painting to meet Sky's eyes.

"Sounds like I missed out on a lot!" She joked lightly.

"What's on the last painting?" Peter asked, suddenly reaching for Sky's hands, leaving her no option but to reveal the painting hidden behind her.

_Damn. _She thought, quickly shutting her thoughts off as she remembered that Peter could probably hear her.

Peter raised a mildly suspicious eyebrow at her before inspecting the final painting, blowing a thin coating of fine dust off its surface.

"Who's that?" He asked, pointing at the dark figure embracing a woman. "The woman looks like you Sky… but who's the other guy?"

Closing off her thoughts as a precaution, Sky looked up to meet Peter's eyes.

"No idea." She said innocently, shrugging her shoulders. "Probably hasn't even happened yet – after all, it _is_ the future." There was a pause as Peter glanced at her strangely whilst Sky let a benign smile spread across her lips. There was a moment of awkward silence, which was abruptly ended when Sky unexpectedly leapt forward to tousle the unsuspecting Peter's hair playfully, leaving it in a ruffled brown mess, laughing as she easily dodged his vengeful grasp.

"Can't catch me Peter!" She taunted, running from the incensed young man as he rose to his feet, a grin spreading across his own face.

"Oh… I can!" He replied, dropping the now forgotten painting back onto the sofa and sprinting after Sky.

The young woman laughed breathlessly as Peter's gaining footsteps gradually grew louder before disappearing completely. Sky frowned suspiciously, reflexively glancing back over her shoulder to see nothing but the dark red walls. Returning her gaze ahead, Sky stopped just in time to avoid bumping into Peter who was hovering a few inches off the ground with a smug grin on his face.

"You were saying?" He winked cheekily.

"You _can_ fly!" Sky gasped, and without thinking she quickly shut her eyes to try out the new ability. "No way!"

Peter chuckled, his eyes sparkling at Sky's delighted expression as she tentatively made herself rise several feet off the ground. "This is… too impossible… I can't describe it!" The smile on her face was the largest he had ever seen on her.

"I know." He replied. "I once offered Nathan a race around the Statue of Liberty… he didn't take." Peter's face fell slightly as he said his brother's name.

Sky pouted in an attempt to make Peter laugh. "Aww. That's boring. I would have raced you!"

"Still could." Peter whispered, his warm breath tickling her ear. Sky glanced up and realised how close Peter's lips were to hers. Before she could react, Peter gently brushed her lips with his own. But it was short-lived as an angry Angela Petrelli suddenly appeared from the neighbouring room, the door slamming behind her.

"Peter! Your brother needs to see you!" She shouted before catching sight of Sky, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Now!"

"Talking of which, I'd best be off." Sky said suddenly, causing Peter and Angela to spin around to look at her in surprise. For a moment, Sky could see the resemblance between the two, but it was quickly gone as Angela's gaze turned steely and cold.

"What do you mean dear?" She asked, aggressively folding her arms in front of her chest.

"I mean, that I don't want to overstay my welcome. And I've got to find a place of my own. I can't stay here."

"But where will you go?" Peter asked in concern, taking a step back towards her, his blush still faintly visible on his cheeks.

"I'll go back to my apartment, pick up some stuff then find another place somehow." Sky told him with a reassuring smile.

Peter looked unconvinced, his mother, on the other hand, looked as though she was trying to hide that Christmas had come early.

"At least let me take you there. You know what happened last time." Peter told her, raising a meaningful eyebrow.

Sky sighed in amusement. "What _would_ I do without you Peter?"

"Get yourself into a lot more trouble?" He grinned, his eyes twinkling.

"Peter!" Angela barked again, before grabbing hold of her son and pushing him gently from the room.

"Be back in a minute Sky."

Peter sent her one last charming smile before shutting the door behind him, leaving Sky in the room with Angela Petrelli who was eyeing her warily.

"Well Sky, it seems you're quite an extraordinary young woman." She complimented unexpectedly.

"I have powers – if that's what you mean?" Sky asked cautiously, feeling as though she was being led into a trap.

"My son. You're in a relationship with him." Angela elaborated.

"No! No, I'm not! I'm just his friend. He's helped me out a lot. Peter's a great guy." Sky denounced, holding her hands up in immediate protest.

Angela merely raised an eyebrow in disbelief but let it pass.

"Very well." Angela sighed wearily, a flicker of emotion passing through her dark eyes before vanishing. "Have a good journey dear." She told Sky, quickly stroking her hair in an almost affectionate manner, before leaving the room.

Sky watched the door close behind mother Petrelli, looking baffled. _What the heck? One minute she hates me, the next she's not so bad… God, this is confusing._

"Yeah, I know." Peter's voice suddenly said. "You ready?" He sent her another charming smile, brushing his dark brown hair from his face before holding out his arm politely.

"Yep, let's go for it!" Sky smiled back, accepting Peter's extended arm.

"I thought you might wanna take me up on that race?" He asked, looking down at her, his eyes sparkling keenly. Sky could read a collection of emotions hidden within his expression; the shadow of a lingering remorse, the worry of a dark future, but now, more prominently, the delight of finally finding someone who could use their abilities like his and was willing to.

"I'd love to." Sky grinned back at him. "But what if we get caught?"

"Don't worry. Stay near me and if someone sees us, grab my hand and I'll turn you invisible so you won't fall trying." He said softly, caringly touching her cheek.

"Thank you Peter." Sky sent him another grin before running out of the room and shoving open the front door. "What are we waiting for then?"

Sky shivered as the young man suddenly appeared behind her, his breath tingling her neck.

"Nothing."

Before she had chance to take in her surroundings, Sky felt a pair of arms fasten around her waist as she was lifted at a tremendous speed into the air, the trees, houses and birds becoming blurs as they shot into the deep blue sky. Sky gasped at the perfect white clouds and the tiny village beneath their feet as they rose even higher, Peter's arms still tight around her chest.

"Sure beats an airplane huh?" He shouted over the roar of the wind.

Sky simply grinned in response before shutting her eyes briefly.

"Time to start this race!" She yelled back, gently pulling herself from Peter's grip and finding herself falling a few feet before adjusting to the turbulent wind.

Peter nodded back, counting down on his fingers before sending her another grin.

"Go!"

Sky immediately propelled herself forward, cutting through the bright blue sky like an arrow sprung from a divine bow. The feeling of exhilaration was like nothing else. The breeze whipped keenly at her face and clothes, the streaky clouds passed by faster than sound itself, the ferocious wind battered her ears mercilessly as she chased after the Peter's fleeting figure. Pushing herself to go faster, Sky's body began to feel impossibly light as she became oblivious to her surroundings. All she could see was Peter's dark coat flapping majestically behind him as he flew at an impossible speed. Within moments, Sky somehow managed to catch up with him and grinned, sharing the pure freedom and excitement of soaring and dancing through the air like grace-filled eagles.

Sky spread her arms leisurely and closed her eyes to try and convey her emotions to Peter through thought. As her eyes flickered open, she realised with a sudden jolt of fear, that she was no longer flying, but was instead dropping rapidly through the empty realm of clouded mountains and sapphire sky.

_Of course… I can only use one ability at once… what the hell should I do now? What if I get the wrong ability? What if-?"_ Sky began to loose control of her thoughts as she tumbled out of the sky, spiralling through the air like a flightless bird, the wind pressing cold, invisible fingers against her face, preventing her from closing her eyes and changing abilities.

_Peter!_ Sky thought and shouted at the same time as she broke through the last layer of clouds and began to plummet towards the tiny, but rapidly approaching complex of houses. _Peter!_

_**Sorry that there wasn't any Sylar… I wanted to put him in, I really did… but I realised that Peter had got a bit left out – but I promise, TONNES of Sylar action next chapter… well, him and Sky ;)**_

_**Anyway, sorry I took so long to write up and that it's so short… and not very good… but I've had a very hectic time recently, the good news is that school's over soon so I'll be back to 'normal' then! :D**_

_**Please review!**_

_**~TheMastersDaughter**_


	7. Understanding

**Two Sides Of The Same Coin**

_Peter!_

Sky braced herself as she fell 200 feet, 100, rapidly drawing closer to the complex of houses, unable to stop herself. Just as she was approximately 50 feet above a large, classic house, a sudden force collided with her body and she was lifted back up into the air, a pair of arms holding her tightly, bridal-style as the wind fanned her hair.

_Peter! Thank God…_ Sky thought in relief, shifting herself slightly in his arms so she could look at her rescuer.

Peter's eyes sparkled in concern, he held her close, making sure that she wouldn't fall again as they rose back up into the world of clouds.

Sky breathed out in relief and relaxed back into the safety of Peter's strong arms. She wasn't very keen on flying again until she had mastered her abilities. Obviously they weren't as reliable as she thought they were. Any slight distraction could accidently result in her death, and to be honest, Sky wasn't sure she wanted to risk that again.

She suddenly became aware that Peter was gradually loosing altitude. He smiled down at her, turning them invisible as they broke through the last layer of whispy cloud before alighting in Ohio Avenue.

They hit the ground hard, making Peter's knees buckle under the impact. Sky quickly engaged her healing abilities as a precaution as Peter lurched forward, almost dropping her as he fought the temptation to fall.

After a few moments, the young man had regained his balance, and he glanced down to check on Sky, his face full of kind worry.

"You okay?" He asked gently, still holding her tightly to his chest.

Sky nodded, biting her lip at her close run-in.

"I don't know what to do Peter, I love these powers – don't get me wrong. But so far I've ended up half-killing someone by accident, travelling to the future when I was meant to be teleporting across town, and almost plummeting to my death cause I couldn't switch abilities… what happens if next time there's no one to help me out? What if there isn't even a next time? I can't control these powers…" She trailed off, looking hopelessly down at her hands.

"Hey, Sky. Look, I had the same problem when I first got my powers. You'll learn. If you want, I'll teach you to control your powers."

Sky looked back up at Peter's caring eyes, nodding her head slowly.

"Thank you Peter. I really appreciate it… and everything you've done for me." She wriggled in his arms and Peter reluctantly lowered her to the ground.

"You don't need to thank me Sky. It's just nice to know that I'm not the only one out there with problems!" He grinned, gesturing around him at the city.

Sky smiled back gently. "No, I really am grateful." She said meaningfully, her grey-green eyes meeting Peter's dark brown ones. Peter touched her cheek fondly, his eyes sparkling affectionately as Sky leaned in to give him a soft kiss on his own cheek.

Peter blushed slightly, like a young schoolboy with his first kiss at high school and before she had chance to protest, he had tenderly wrapped his arms around her waist and captured her lips in a cautious, gentle kiss.

It was Sky's turn to blush as she pulled away, slightly surprised by Peter's boldness, but smiling all the same.

"Come on Peter, let's go get my stuff." Sky said, reaching into the pocket of her black jeans to produce her door key.

Peter hesitated for a moment before following her. He was unsure how she felt towards him, but she did seem to enjoy the kiss. Brushing his hair from his eyes, he began to stride after her.

Sky felt a certain dread as she approached her apartment. It seemed that trouble and danger were attracted to her house like paperclips to a magnet. Shivering slightly at the memories, Sky tried to brush the feelings behind as she unlocked her door and walked into the hall.

She jumped in surprise as a hand laid itself on her arm, but she relaxed when she recognised Peter's concerned, brown eyes.

"Sky, you sure you're alright? You're a bit…" He trailed off pensively.

"-Jumpy? Wouldn't you be?" She asked with a nervous smile.

Peter gave her a reassuring grin in return and draped an arm around her shoulders for encouragement. He quickly tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear before bending his neck slightly to lay a sweet kiss on her forehead.

Sky's eyes sparkled, accompanying the warm blush that had spread across her cheeks. Sliding her hand into his, she led him into the lounge.

"Glad to see everything's still intact." She muttered, releasing his hand as she kneeled down to pick up some fallen papers before gathering them into a neat pile and tucking them into a nearby case. Peter grabbed some of Sky's personal possessions on the other side of the room and carefully laid them in a rucksack as she continued to gather together her work papers.

"God. I've got so much to catch up on." She groaned, rubbing her eyes tiredly as she anticipated the mountain of paperwork she had in store.

Walking into the study, Sky quickly located her laptop and proceeded to pack it into its case along with all the wires and other appliances. Just as she had finished zipping up the bag, she heard Peter yell something before a loud 'thunk' resounded from the lounge.

Rushing in without another thought, Sky took in the scene, horrified. Peter was unconscious on the floor, apparently knocked out, judging by the large brick lying next to his head.

Three suited men were standing in the doorway, looking smug as they towered over Peter's motionless form. The one nearest the door was beanpole thin with sunglasses, the one furthest from her door however, was exceedingly fat and had a rather stupid smile plastered onto his podgy face. But the one who made Sky tremble in fear, was the tall man in the middle. His face was bony and stern, but his eyes were alive with a dark energy. Glaring at the three menacing figures, the young woman backed away subconsciously, anticipating trouble.

"Who are you? Why are you in my house? And what the hell has my friend done to you to deserve being knocked unconscious?" She asked, laying her hands on her hips fearlessly.

The fat man simply sniggered, but the other two remained irresponsive except for the tall man in the middle who gestured swiftly to the other two, and before Sky could react, they had captured her arms in an iron grip.

"Let me _go!_" Sky shouted angrily, as the fat man's breath crept over her shoulder, making her gag. The tall man, who was apparently in charge, watched dispassionately as the two men began dragging her roughly towards the front door. "Don't do this. I'm warning you." She threatened, menacingly, directing her warning at the leader.

"This one's a spark." The tall man said suddenly, his voice surprisingly soft for a kidnapper. "But you've been a bad girl. You didn't do the job that was assigned to you by the generous Mr Linderman so this is payback time." He turned to her captors. "Boys, maybe we can have some fun with her before giving her back over to Linderman."

Sky shook her head, fighting to keep her emotions in check as the creepy leader drew yet closer to peer at his catch.

"I mean it. I don't want to hurt you. But I will if I have to." Sky told them seriously, unsuccessfully trying to free her arms from her captor's unbreakable grip.

The three men laughed darkly at her menacing tone before easily pushing her to the ground.

"We're gonna break you little girl. Mr Linderman will thank us for making his job easier, he was gonna kill you personally. But if we do it for him…" A disgusting smile crossed the tall, suited man's face. "We'll get a pay rise at least." He leant closer to Sky and forced a hand across her mouth, making the young women spit in revulsion at the rancid taste of the man's skin on her lips.

As the other two men held her down, the lead henchman reached into his belt to produce a shiny black gun, which he aimed casually at Sky's head as he straddled her on the floor.

"Now you're gonna behave or this baby's just gonna go 'bang'." He told her in a low, aggressive voice, as he gently ran the barrel of the gun down Sky's cheek, then her throat, his eyes glittering with unconfined pleasure at the power he held over the young woman. This man didn't just kidnap or kill people as a job. He enjoyed it.

"Never." Sky bit back angrily, glaring back unflinchingly at her captor as she squirmed under his weight. "You'll never manipulate me. I'm not scared of you."

"Really?" He breathed in a deadly voice. "We'll have to see about that."

Sky quickly turned her head to the side as the man tried to place his filthy lips on hers, pushing down on her uncomfortably. As she pulled away, the henchman furiously back-slapped her face leaving a sharp, red handprint against her pale skin.

"Don't try that again!" He hissed, as his two cronies sniggered in anticipation. He lifted his hand to slap her again as the young woman continued to look up at him dispassionately.

Suddenly, a large crash resounded through the apartment and an entire bookcase and contents flew across the room, knocking Sky's captors from her arms and slamming them against each other. Her eyes widened as the persistent, but fearless leader dodged around his fallen companions and limped towards Sky, his eyes burning with an unstoppable, frenzied madness.

The young woman watched in relieved awe as the man was easily lifted off his feet and hurled across the room into the opposing wall.

_And there's only one person I know who does that…_ Sky thought, her heartbeat increasing rapidly as she looked over to the door which was promptly thrown off its hinges, landing in a shattered mess of wood.

Sky breathed out in quiet relief as a familiar, dark figure stepped through the open doorway, his black coat flapping in a non-existent wind, his thick eyebrows raised inquisitively and his eyes sparkling with deadly traces of anger.

Upon noticing Sky's gaze, Sylar turned to send her a quick smirk before slamming all three of his victims against the wall mercilessly. The young woman turned away swiftly as she realised what he was about to do. A sonata of piercing screams was heard as Sylar lazily lifted his finger to cut open the skulls of his victims, leaving them to die slowly, wallowing like the low-lives they were in a pool of their own fluids.

Moments later, Sky felt a reassuring pair of hands on her shoulders and turned around to meet Sylar's profound, black eyes shining down at her.

"You… saved me?" She asked in confusion as he removed his hands with a twisted half-smile, before leaning back on her blood-stained wall, casually crossing his arms in a relaxed fashion as he rested his head against the plaster.

Sylar stood motionless, watching her with an amused expression before shrugging his shoulders offhandedly.

"I needed your help. I'm gonna kill a lot more people and I thought you could help me. Tell me what to do."

Sky raised a cynical eyebrow, unsure of his true motifs. "Well, er, thank you anyway." _Even if you are a psychopath…_

Glancing around unsurely, Sky quickly bent down to pick up her fallen bags. "Anyway, I, er, want to get out of here if you don't mind." She said to Sylar with a small smile. "So I guess I'll, er, see you around."

"Wait." Sylar objected, stepping forwards to grab her arm, but Sky had already closed her eyes to teleport, and before he could stop her, they were both being teleported across space.

Sky's eyes gradually focused on their surroundings. When she had teleported, she hadn't really had a particular destination in mind, so she was slightly surprised to find herself in the familiar surroundings of Isaac's loft.

Sylar, still clinging to her arm and swaying dizzily from his first time teleporting, glanced around, baffled. He obviously knew where he was, Sky observed, but judging by his face, he wasn't overjoyed by his location.

"Did you do this?" He asked in disbelief, finally letting go of her arm and walking slowly around the perimeter of the room, acting as if he thought it was simply an illusion.

Sky nodded quietly in response, realising that she was in even more danger now that the killer knew she could teleport, as well as heal and regenerate. Biting her lip, she risked glancing into his dark eyes, afraid of seeing the usual predatory look, the insatiable hunger for her ability.

Sylar suddenly took a step forwards, causing Sky to recoil as a subconscious reaction, fearing for her life. A smirk pasted itself across the killer's face as she backed away cautiously, reaching along the desk for something to protect herself with, but before she had chance to stop him, he took several long strides forward and reached out a gentle hand to lightly stroke her cheek, looking deep into her eyes as if searching for the answer to an unasked question. Sky was surprised to see a flicker of regret dart across the black abysses, but it was quickly replaced with a dark, daring expression as he raised his eyebrows challengingly.

"Who am I going to have to kill for that one?" He asked teasingly, as Sky recoiled from his touch, pulling her face out of his grasp at the callous question.

"No one I'll tell you about, Gabriel." She replied sharply, glaring furiously as she deliberately used his given name to agitate him.

"I told you." He lowered his voice to a deadly whisper, sending chills down Sky's spine as she moved back a step from his towering figure. "My name is Sylar."

Before Sky could dodge out the way, Sylar lifted his hand to slam her against the wall as he had with the henchmen only minutes before. "Say my name." He demanded darkly as he strode forwards, his intimidating figure easily overshadowing her smaller form, casting her into shade.

"Gabriel." Sky repeated persistently, her voice loud and clear as she boldly dared her captor to do his worst.

Sylar chuckled in amusement at the young woman's brave, but foolish attempt to resist. Reaching his hand out, the killer confidently tightened his telekinetic grip on her throat.

Sky immediately began to choke, reaching up to grasp her throat in an attempt to remove the heavy, invisible force. She flinched as Sylar drew closer until his face was level with hers. His dark, enigmatic eyes searching hers for the words he wanted to hear.

"Say it." He insisted softly as Sky trembled, her oesophagus aching from Sylar's unrelenting grip.

Unable to speak, she moved her head fractionally to the left, then the right. Sylar's eyebrows immediately lowered to further shadow his impenetrable eyes. The silent battle continued, neither side wishing to give into the other. Eventually accepting her petty resistance was futile, Sky slowly lifted her head a fraction to meet her opponent's eyes.

"Sylar." She said softly, watching, slightly repulsed, as his smirk widened to an arrogant expression of dark satisfaction. "Feel better now?"

Sylar didn't dignify her sarcastic question with an answer, instead he gave her a smug, superior grin before slowly loosening his grip on her throat.

"Why are you doing this? Who are you _really_ Gab-Sylar?" She corrected herself.

Sylar paused for a moment, considering whether to answer her question. He met Sky's eyes with a pensive look on his face.

"I used to fix watches, I was a nobody. Nothing. But then I found I was different – special. It changed my life." He explained in a calm, even tone. After all, he couldn't see the harm in telling her.

"That doesn't explain it Gabriel." Sky persisted, not even flinching as Sylar sent her a deadly glare for using his given name again.

"It was my mom… she always told me I could be more… I was never good enough – I mean, she loved me… but I just wasn't special enough…" He stopped again, running a hand through his midnight black hair thoughtfully as his unfathomable eyes meaningfully locked onto Sky's. "Do you think I'm special Sky?" He asked, in a surprisingly soft, almost childish voice, as if he were still a toddler seeking praise from a parent. _Deceptive_. Sky thought cynically.

"Gabriel, you are one of the most special people I know. How many people can knock someone out by just moving a finger? You're not _just _special… you're extraordinary." She complimented him carefully, testing him for a reaction, curious to see more of this new side of the serial killer.

Sylar looked momentarily flattered, before his expression of pride reverted to his usual smirk as his eyes freely roamed Sky's body. Squirming uncomfortably, unable to release herself from the killer's telekinesis, Sky narrowed her eyes at the killer before thinking up another question to distract him from his unsettling stare.

"You've never mentioned your mother before… where is she?"

Sylar's smirk faded rapidly to be replaced by a dark, veiled look in his eyes, which Sky could have sworn was remorse. He tilted his head slightly so his face was in concealed from view before he replied.

"She's dead. I killed her… I didn't mean to… I just lost control… I killed my own mother who was the only person who still cared about me…" He trailed off, still not looking at Sky.

"Gabriel, you must learn to control it – this… hunger of yours. It's the only way to redeem yourself."

"Don't you think I've tried? I can't. The hunger is the only thing that makes me special!" Sylar shouted suddenly, spinning round to face her, his eyes flashing dangerously, the telekinetic force restricting her limbs increasing, roughly squeezing the breath from her lungs.

"Then try again." Sky gasped breathlessly, silently begging the uncomfortable pressure to lift.

It was unsettling to watch as Sylar's feral expression was swiftly replaced by another twisted smirk of cold indifference as he casually lifted a thick, black eyebrow.

"I don't think I will…" He said softly, his voice chillingly smooth and unnervingly calm in contrast to his previous anger.

"Why do you do it Gabriel? Why do you kill these people? Don't you ever feel guilty? Not at all?" Sky shouted in exasperation, giving up on her unsuccessful, earlier approach.

"I take what they don't use, what they don't deserve. It's an evolutionary imperative – cats play with their food before they eat it – they aren't evil, it's just the way they've evolved. They don't know any better. Do you blame them?"

"But you're human. Supposedly the 'higher race', blessed with intelligence. Surely that's a reason not to kill."

"And if I stop, do you think the rest of the world will? Sky, I'm _saving_ the world by taking their abilities… who knows what an incapable person would do with an ability like this." Sylar held out his hand, which glowed gently, pulsating with controlled radiation. "The man who had this, killed his wife… sure, it was an accident. But how many more accidents can there be before someone wipes out the entire city? I'm going to save everyone. I'll take their abilities, and the world will be saved." He concluded, his eyes glittering in satisfaction as he closed the glowing hand into a fist.

It struck Sky, as before, that Sylar wasn't necessarily malevolent, but purely misunderstood. He didn't understand what a simple life meant to a family, to friends, to a community. He didn't understand how it felt to have your world ripped apart by the death of a loved one. He only thought that he could save the world by killing people, and as bizarre as it may seem, Sky realised he had a point. After all, half the city was destined to go up in flames thanks to one of the people with abilities…

Sky bit down hard on her lip, as Sylar watched her thinking in interest, his intense eyes never once moving from her face, staring intently, as if she were a broken timepiece whose problem he was trying to diagnose.

"What about me? If that's true, you should be trying to kill me as well."

Sylar's eye twitched slightly, and he lifted one sophisticated, thick eyebrow.

"Haven't I tried?" He asked, the telltale smirk appearing at the corners of his mouth.

"And failed. Maybe you didn't try hard enough… which makes me wonder… why?" Sky paused to look him straight in the eye, challenging him. "You could have disembowelled me, removed my brain, decapacitated my head… yet here I am… alive."

His unreadable black eyes flashing with an unknown emotion, Sylar took a step closer to Sky until his warm, soft breath tickled her ear, blowing a few loose strands of golden hair from her face. Involuntary goose pimples erupted on her arms and a light blush crawled onto her cheeks as she inhaled the killer's intoxicating scent.

"Do you _want _to die then Sky?" He asked, his voice deep and silky, eyes dark and cunning.

"I am not afraid." Sky answered in a whisper, her heartbeat increasing as Sylar raised his hand to stroke her cheek with surprising tenderness.

"Poor girl…you're not like the others. You've always been different. Never showing your emotions… your entire life spent in a cold, hard shell. But you weren't always like that, were you Sky? What happened to you?" He asked as he continued to stroke her cheek, his fingers rubbing gentle circles on her soft skin.

Sky closed her eyes. Her past, clouded as it was, always had come back to haunt her. She hurt deep inside, but she didn't know why. If she tried to remember, the shadowy thoughts slipped from her mind like slippery, crystal water dripping through her fingers. Sometimes, she would spend hours on end, sitting silently, unable to express how she felt, afraid to feel weak. But other times, when she was completely alone, her barrier would fail, and she would dissolve into a sobbing little girl, consumed by the dark, bottomless pits and horrors of the nightmares which were her past.

Sky took in a deep breath, her eyes flickering open to meet Sylar's. His face was barely inches from hers, his shadowed eyes shimmered with curiosity and his dark eyebrows were raised in query. The young woman trembled, shivering with emotion as the familiar fear of remembering the terrible truths of her past ran through her.

"What happened to me?" She whispered to Sylar, holding back the threat of tears, expecting that the serial killer would mock her for crying. "You're so good with fixing things… then what makes me 'tick'? Do a psychoanalysis." Sky said bitterly.

Sylar's hand slid up from her cheek to stroke her hair gently, before carefully tracing her accentuated jaw line as his dark eyes penetrated hers, looking into her as no one else ever could.

"You're a puzzle that can't be solved, a mirror forever shattered, a timepiece that can't be fixed." He told her, his voice impossibly soft, almost caring as his curious fingers came to rest on her shaped lips, causing a pleasant tingling sensation to spread through her sensitive skin. "You're scared – partly of what you've done… but also of what you _will _do. All that power… you're unstoppable – like me. People assume they know you… they prejudge you… I'm the only other one who understands how it feels…tell me Sky, have you hurt people too?"  
Sky shook her head slowly, her gaze transfixed by Sylar's beautiful, dark eyes. She couldn't believe that a psychopathic serial killer could be so perceptive, so understanding of his victim's behaviour. It wasn't possible… it wasn't _right_.

"I've done some terrible things, but I can't remember… I don't _want_ to remember to be quite honest." She admitted quietly, diverting her eyes from his, knowing that her answer was hardly satisfactory.

Sylar also lowered his eyes. They were dark and clouded with thought, impenetrable. The soft light from the lamps flickered ominously in the black reflection, like an image of dancing flames on oil.

Feeling a tear running down her face, Sky silently cursed herself for showing her emotional side in front of the last person she wanted to see it. Quickly wiping it away, she glanced up to meet Sylar's eyes. Maybe she was mistaken, but for a moment a vague flicker of concern and empathy flashed across his blank, dark face.

Without warning, Sylar decisively lifted his hand, twitching his index finger slightly to release Sky from his telekinetic grip, leaving her to land inelegantly on the paint-covered floor.

Sky's breath caught in another sob, as she remained motionless, propped on all fours, staring unseeingly at the bright explosion of New York, painted by Isaac Mendez on the floor of his studio. She trembled helplessly, looking like a pitiful, wounded animal, unable to fend for itself when all its defences were down. That's how Sky felt. Open, vulnerable, laid out submissively in front of her captor.

Her thoughts were broken abruptly as a strong hand clasped her shoulder, lifting her to her feet and tentatively tilting her chin with a gentle index finger so she met a familiar pair of dark, enigmatic eyes shadowed by the thick, black eyebrows.

Sky's eyes widened, uncertain as to what the killer was about to do. Maybe her time was up. Maybe he had decided to kill her – finish her, once and for all.

She certainly didn't expect to feel Sylar's arms wrap caringly around her waist as he pulled her gently to his chest, holding her against the safety of his warm, muscular torso. He lightly stroked her soft, golden hair as she sobbed uncontrollably into the rough material of his long, black coat. Sky was no longer rational. She was being comforted by a serial killer, a serial killer who had tried to murder her, but was now holding her close to him in a comforting embrace. "Forgive me." Sylar mumbled, almost inaudibly into Sky's long hair as he rested his chin on her silky soft head. Sky pulled away slightly to glance up into Sylar's pitch-black eyes. Before either could think, or realise what they were doing, their lips were joined in a kiss. The kiss seemed to be Sylar's way of giving an apology, and Sky's way of accepting it.

They were abruptly interrupted as the door to Isaac's loft crashed open and a pair of footsteps began to pad across the floor and down the steps.

Sky and Sylar quickly broke away from the kiss, and exchanged a glace before ducking behind a nearby painting of two figures standing against a bright, orange landmark.

A few moments later, a young Japanese man appeared, holding a sword in front of him defensively as he walked guardedly across the studio floor.

"Ando?" Sky said in alarm, immediately clapping a hand over her mouth, cursing her stupidity as he looked around for the source of the voice.

Sylar's face was a picture as he glared at Sky, before rolling his eyes heavenwards and pushing her into a darkened corner of the room with his telekinesis as he turned to face the unknowing Ando.

Ando curiously looked behind the painting in an attempt to find out who had called his name. He closed his eyes in horror as he saw a gory trail of blood leading to the deceased Isaac's body, brain removed.

Sensing something behind him, Ando instinctively spun around to find Sylar towering over him in an intimidating fashion. Lazily flicking his finger, with a grin at Sky, Sylar easily tossed Ando's sword across the room, plunging it into the giant painting of the explosion on the floor of the studio.

Raising his hand leisurely, Sylar telekinetically pinned Ando against the wall, shoving him against it roughly as Sky watched in horror from the other side of the studio.

"Looks like you dropped something." Sylar informed Ando mockingly as he bent down to pick a comic with the familiar heading '9th Wonders' blaring across the top. "A comic book that can predict the future…what will they think up next?" He chuckled in amusement, flicking through the magazine as Ando and Sky watched on helplessly. "You're kidding! This is how Isaac thought I'd die? Stabbed by a _silly_ little man!" Sylar shouted in annoyance, shoving the comic in Ando's face before flinging it moodily across the room. Sky could just see from her position that the comic book was open on a page showing a strip where a figure, who looked suspiciously like Sylar, was being stabbed through the chest by a Japanese man with glasses – _Hiro!_ Sky realised.

"Hiro… is not silly!" Ando gasped, his eyes watching the comic's progress across the floor, before widening as he noticed Sky concealed in the shadows on the opposite side of the studio. "Sky? Is that you?" He asked in disbelief.

Sky smiled weakly in response, earning her another glare from Sylar, who was obviously far from finished with Ando.

"Not silly? You should've seen his face when he tried to kill me!" Sylar spat.

_Hiro tried to kill him? I wouldn't have thought it… it seems that Sylar is right up to a point… maybe these people just need to see the side of him I have, and they might understand that he doesn't want to be bad…_

Sylar strode closer to Ando, leering at him before glancing over his shoulder to check that Sky was still there.

"You cannot take our brains!" Ando announced bravely, his eyes darting between Sylar, Sky, the comic book, and his sword.

"Please… what would I want with _your _brain?" He asked Ando in amusement, sending a quick, amused smirk towards Sky who merely glared back at him.

Sylar turned back to Ando, rolling his eyes at Sky's expression before lifting his finger to point it, ready, at Ando's exposed forehead.

"Where is Peter Petrelli?" He demanded, glancing quickly at the painting they had been hiding behind only minutes ago.

Suddenly, Sky realised what the picture portrayed; Sylar and Peter were facing one another in a fighting stance. Sylar had a dark aura drawn around him, to Sky's mild amusement, and the words dancing across the top of the painting read 'Kirby Plaza'.

"I don't know." Ando shouted, his voice rising to a scream as Sylar cut a deep nick into his forehead as a pre-warning.

Scowling slightly, Sylar tried again. "Where is he?"

Sky's eyes widened in surprise as suddenly, Hiro appeared in the middle of the studio, his sword raised challengingly at Sylar, his eyes burning with determination behind his glasses.

"Let them go!" Hiro commanded firmly, making Sylar spin around in alarm.

"I don't think I'm going to." Sylar replied, raising his eyebrows in amusement at his new competition. "Now I know where you got that power from Sky, and after this, it's all mine." He sent her a sinister smile as Ando called Hiro and they began to converse frantically in Japanese as Sylar looked to the ceiling, as if bored.

Sylar lifted his arms slightly, in an 'I don't know or understand' gesture before turning back to Ando, a wicked grin fixed on his face.

"All you have to do," He addressed Hiro, "Is stop time before I cut off his head." Sylar raised a finger threateningly at Ando's skull, preparing to slit it open. "Think you can do your little trick before I do mine?" He smirked darkly, ignoring Sky as she screamed for him to stop. After all, this was his game now.

Ando shouted something in Japanese, presumably telling Hiro to stab Sylar. Hiro lowered his sword unsurely. For several long moments, only the sound of rushed, nervous breathing could be heard as the four figures froze, waiting for the other to move.

Before Sylar had chance to react, Hiro scrunched his face up into concentration and disappeared into thin air. Glancing around anxiously, Sylar's calm demeanour was broken as Hiro remained unseen. Suddenly, Hiro reappeared next to Ando, who beamed widely at his friend, exchanging a quick nod then appearing next to Sky before they were all teleported away from the studio, leaving the baffled Sylar infuriated, mystified, and alone.

Sky breathed out in relief as they arrived in a noisy, bustling, Japanese work office. Ando sighed happily, glad to be free from Sylar's suffocating grip, but quickly reaching for a tissue to stem the blood pouring from the gash on his forehead.

"Thank you Hiro." Sky said gratefully, not entirely sure if it was the best option to leave Sylar alone, after all, who knows what sort of trouble he would get himself into.

Bowing her head, she smiled at both Hiro and Ando. "Now I've got to go back. Something bad's going to happen, and I think I'm the only one who's got a chance of stopping Sylar."

"Stopping Sylar? He is _bad_ man! You can't stop the exploding man!" Hiro told her worriedly, shaking his head. "No, you stay here, with Ando-kun. You will be safe."

Ando grinned at her reassuringly. "Yes, I will look after you, and when Hiro has saved the world, he will take you back to New York."

Sky's fixed smile faded slightly. There was no chance she was going to wait until then, but she realised arguing was futile, so it would be better to just let them think she had agreed.

"Okay. Well, good luck Hiro."

Hiro grinned at her and nodded. "Hai! Arigato." He said, before turning to Ando and exchanging a few words in Japanese. When he turned back to say farewell to Sky, his eyes widened behind his glasses; she had already gone.

Sky teleported as soon as she knew her Japanese rescuer was distracted. Although she felt bad about leaving him behind after he'd desperately tried to protect her, she had already made her decision, and she wanted to help save the world. _Save Sylar_. Her mind added silently.

Sky bit down on her lip. Much as she wished to deny it, she cared about the psychopathic killer. He understood her like no one else. And however much he might pretend to differ, he _did_ care. He wanted to save the world.

_It's just that his methods are a little faulty._ Sky reasoned.

Opening her eyes, Sky found herself where she wanted to be. Kirby Plaza. The large landmark, shaped like a pair of ascending staircases, glowed a bright, vivid orange in the centre of the Plaza. She was slightly alarmed to find that the sky was already dark, the stars invisible and the moon's rays glowing ominously onto the small, delicate trees, dappling silver shadows on their elegant leaves.

Feeling as though someone was watching her, Sky turned quickly on her heel, to face none other than Sylar.

"Gabriel! Don't do this! Please! You saw what could happen – don't take that risk!" She pleaded, facing him squarely.

Sylar looked down at her, his eyes dark and a smirk dancing on his face as he looked down at the determined young woman stood in front of him, her arms spread defensively.

"I can't do that. This is my destiny." He told her, hating the word 'destiny'. The look in her eyes was so sorrowful, so caring, that he almost agreed to stop. Realising that this woman could be his downfall, Sylar quickly used his telekinesis to throw her across the Plaza and pin her against a nearby building.

"Don't interfere with this." He growled menacingly, raising a meaningful eyebrow at her. "Go back. You don't want to see this."

Sky shook her head slowly, before quickly shutting her eyes to switch abilities. Using her mind to push at the invisible ropes binding her, Sky quickly released herself from Sylar's telekinetic grip.

_I didn't know I could do that. _ She thought in surprise.

Sky ducked quickly, raising her hand defensively as several nearby fixtures flew towards her as Sylar attempted to knock her out. There was no way he was going to let her meddle with his plan to kill Peter Petrelli, and whoever else he needed to.

Sky drew herself back up, resisting the temptation to let the tears fall from her eyes. "Don't you see? You're the only one who understands me – or I thought you were – maybe I was wrong. But whatever happens, I'm not letting an innocent man die!"

Sylar quickly realised that she must have somehow read his thoughts and discovered his plan to kill the young Petrelli.

"I didn't necessarily mean him." She admitted quietly, as she heard his thoughts again. Sylar only just heard her soft words by using his enhanced hearing, he could also hear the rapid drumming of her heart, the trickle of a tear as it ran down her face before landing with an inaudible 'splash' onto the paved ground.

"You think I'm innocent?" He asked, pausing for a moment, puzzled.

Sky nodded slowly, biting her lip as he strode across the Plaza towards her. "Everyone deserves a second chance… the others might not believe it, but I do."

Sylar's shadow hid Sky from any watching eyes as he towered over her, looking deep into her eyes for the truth. Moments later, he lifted his hand to brush some stray hairs from her face, rubbing the glittering tear-trail from her cheek.

"Sshh." He said softly, his hand tracing her cheekbone to once again rest on her lips, blocking her words before he pulled her into another embrace, a dark look fixed to his face as he thought up a plan.

Sky breathed out in relief as Sylar buried his head in her hair, seemingly content. She didn't think for one minute she had succeeded, but there was still a chance she could stop anyone from getting hurt – she hoped.

Sensing Sylar's actions, Sky quickly pulled away from the hug as he lifted a post using his telekinesis and shot it towards her. Luckily, it missed by inches, but Sky glared at him, her face tearstained as she prepared herself for the assault.

Hoping to take him by surprise, Sky used her mind to throw Sylar against the building next to him before flicking her hand to send a nearby restaurant's umbrella torpedoing towards him.

Growling, Sylar leapt out of the way, stilling the umbrella with his hand and twisting his wrist in an anticlockwise direction to make the object rotate like the blades of a windmill. Quickly snapping his hand up to his chest, Sylar sent the deadly, spinning missile hurtling towards Sky in an attempt to impale her.

Sky gasped out in pain as the umbrella pierced her chest, pinning her to the wall as it continued to rotate and Sylar chuckled triumphantly. Shutting her eyes briefly, Sky somehow found the strength to yank the rotating, sharp implement out of her delicate sternum and dropped it, gasping heavily, onto the ground.

Sylar watched in fascination as Sky's wound knitted back together of its own accord and her head snapped up, indicating that she wasn't ready to give up.

"Now for your next trick!" He announced mockingly, his smirk falling from his smug face as Sky suddenly disappeared from view. Cocking his head to one side, Sylar focused his enhanced hearing in an attempt to hear Sky's quiet footsteps.

Before he had chance to react, he felt a sudden, hard blow in his stomach as Sky punched the killer, winding him before retreating again.

Wincing as he rubbed his injury, Sylar glanced up with a smirk, he knew what he was looking for now.

As Sky moved to approach him again, still invisible, Sylar suddenly turned, smirking at the spot of ground where he had heard her footsteps and the deep beat of her heart.

"Game's up Sky." He whispered, raising his hand to paralyze the girl in her tracks, taking care to stop her from moving her eyelids again.

_No! No Sylar! Don't do this!_ Sky screamed silently, unable to speak as well as blink. She realised she was helpless, she had fallen straight into his trap. He knew she could turn invisible, and had figured out that she would try it sooner or later, at which point he could hear her increased heartbeat, or her footsteps and paralyze her. Rendering her helpless, an invisible observer to whatever befell him and Peter.

A last tear fell from Sky's eye and landed mournfully on the ground causing Sylar to look around at her. Something flickered in his eyes momentarily, maybe regret, maybe glee, maybe fear, maybe anger, maybe pain.

"In answer to your earlier question, I have no reason to kill you. You fascinate me, and I plan to take you apart piece by piece to see how you work." He told her, his voice steady and serious, an aura, almost as dark as the one in the painting, surrounded his words as his eyes looked through the air which was her body.

Sylar's head snapped away from Sky as several loud voices echoed through the Plaza, indicating Peter's arrival, in addition to some other people.

Sky watched, helpless and in horror as Peter took his stance, ready in front of the monument and Sylar telekinetically threw a vaguely familiar man with horn-rimmed glasses against a wall.

Sylar strode over confidently to take his place in front of Peter, just as the painting had predicted. A smirk spread across his face as he anticipated the feeling of finally becoming a hero, all he had to do was kill the young Petrelli… he inhaled deeply.

_This is gonna be a fight to the death!_

_**Next is the season 1 finale… okay, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I have plans to write a season 2, but not until I've finished school in 2 weeks time.**_

_**Please review, it's always appreciated and helps me get the work done 5 times as fast (at least!)**_

_**Till later,**_

_**~TheMastersDaughter**_


	8. Survival

**Two Sides Of The Same Coin**

Sylar's eyebrows met in a deep V as he watched Peter back away from him, trembling slightly but his head held high.

"Haven't I killed you before?" The killer asked Peter, his dark eyes glittering with excitement. Sky didn't need her telekinesis to know what he was thinking. He was obviously obsessed with the idea of taking Peter's ability and blowing up New York City. She felt partly responsible for failing to stop him, for not realising earlier that he had a soul, just like any other person. _I should've been stronger._ She cursed herself angrily, her eyes sparkling with tears. _Why couldn't I have done something to stop him?_

"Didn't take!" Peter retorted bravely, his caring brown eyes now serious and burning with fierce determination.

Sylar chuckled darkly at Peter's response, amused by the hero's courageous stand against him. A sinister smirk etched itself across his handsome features as he lifted his hand to grab Peter's throat telekinetically in an unbreakable, suffocating grip.

"You think I'm gonna let you ruin it all?" He asked scornfully, tightening his grip on his opponent, making the young man's eyes widen as he gasped, protectively lifting his hands to his neck as he choked for breath. "Take all the glory?" Sylar circled Peter threateningly, like a teasing panther gradually closing in on its helpless prey. The killer smirked down at his powerless opponent whilst leisurely continuing to strangle him with his telekinesis.

Suddenly, Sylar's head snapped around as a chubby dark-haired man came running out of a nearby building, his gun outstretched, pointing at Sylar's heart.

Sky took inhaled sharply. Even Sylar couldn't survive a bullet directly in his chest. She wished she could turn her head away as the deafening sound of four gunshots firing exploded through the Plaza.

Sylar casually lifted his hand as the bullets flew towards him, easily pausing them in mid-flight, holding them in the air almost mockingly. His black eyebrows lowered as a dark smirk crossed his face, then he swiftly twisted his hand, redirecting the bullets back into his attacker's chest. The man slumped, deathly pale and loosing consciousness, against the pillar behind him. His eyes shut in pain as he laid a hand on his bleeding torso.

Sky sighed in relief as Sylar smirked, unharmed, at Peter, challenging his opponent to do better. The killer's eyes flickered up briefly, his smirk growing wider as a familiar, Indian geneticist burst out of one of the nearby buildings, followed by a blonde woman, an injured black man, a young, but serious-looking dark skinned boy, and a petite girl. Catching site of Sylar's injured victim, Mohinder quickly ran over to the chubby middle-aged man to stop the flow of blood pouring from his gunshot wounds.

Turning back to Peter, his eyes glittering in anticipation, Sylar reached behind him and his new audience watched in horror as the parking meter on the other side of the Plaza began to jerk free of the bolts holding it to the ground. Coming loose with a large clang, the parking meter immediately soared into Sylar's waiting hand. His fingers closing around the heavy metal post easily, the killer quickly swung around, mercilessly cracking Peter around the head with his newly acquired weapon.

"Did you _really _think you could stop me?" Sylar spat angrily at Peter, raising his arm to hit him once more with the post.

Sky watched in horror as Sylar moved to hit her friend again, then, out of the corner of her eye she saw the thin, blonde woman run towards the killer as he lifted the meter. Bravely, she caught the post in her bare hands and prevented Sylar from hitting Peter before raising the post and swinging it heavily towards his stomach. Sylar slumped on the floor, surprised and winded by the sudden attack from the woman who apparently had super strength.

She moved to take a finishing blow at the killer, but her head snapped around at the sound of a child's voice calling across the Plaza.

"Mom! Dad needs your help!" The serious-looking dark-skinned kid shouted to his mother.

Peter pulled himself up, now free from Sylar's telekinetic grip – unlike Sky.

Nodding to the woman in thanks, Peter removed his jacket, threw it on the ground and turned to face Sylar. The woman hesitated, unsure whether she should help Peter or her family.

"Go back to your family. I got this." Peter told her over his shoulder and the woman quickly sprinted over to help her son.

Peter's eyes glittered with anger as he looked down at Sylar. Sylar opened his mouth to make a snide remark, but before he could Peter punched his cheek hard, and twice more until Sylar fell, motionless at his feet. As if unable to stop himself, Peter lifted Sylar up by the collar of his jacket and punched him squarely in his face.

_Peter… please stop…_ Sky thought. She hated seeing this merciless, angry side of Peter.

For a moment, it seemed as if Peter had heard her thoughts, glancing around in slight confusion, the young man stopped hitting Sylar and quickly scanned his surroundings.

Meanwhile, Sylar began to laugh insanely, happy in a warped way that he had finally incensed the hero. A trickle of blood ran down his chin as Peter looked back down at the demented psychopath, his infuriated state becoming worse as his breathing quickened into sharp, rasping breaths.

Sylar continued to chuckle darkly as Peter glanced down, horrified, at his hands. His arms began glowing orange and pulsating with radioactivity. Peter was going nuclear.

"Wait!" Peter shouted in desperation, "No… No!"

Sylar slowly rose to his feet, towering over the radioactive Peter with his superior height as he glared down at the young man.

"Turns out you're the villain Peter. I'm the hero." Sylar concluded smugly, raising a dark eyebrow meaningfully.

Peter barely registered, his disbelieving gaze fixed on his nuclear hands as they began to burn even brighter, Sylar grinned even wider and Sky could only watch on, paralysed and useless.

Suddenly, Hiro appeared behind Sylar, his sword ready and waiting as Sky breathed in fearfully.

"Sylar!" He shouted bravely, causing the killer to instinctively spin around in alarm.

"You!" Sylar responded angrily, his face falling as he registered the sword in Hiro's hands.

Before the killer could react, Hiro charged towards him, sword outstretched and a determined expression set on his face. Sky's heart seemed to stop as the sword ran through Sylar's chest, before Hiro withdrew it sadly.

"Yatta." He said quietly.

Sky watched in disbelief as Sylar collapsed, motionless on the ground by Hiro's feet. The only man who had actually understood her; a psychopath, a killer, a monster… was dead…

_No!_ Sky thought in anguish.

The radioactive Peter instinctively turned upon hearing Sky's mental shout from across the Plaza, his face a picture of astonished disbelief.

"Sky?" He breathed in amazement, as his audience watched on, exchanging glances of confusion as they wondered who Peter was talking to.

Still paralysed, Sky desperately screamed in her mind. _Yes! Peter don't-_

"Sky." Peter cut her off quickly, his expression heartbreaking as he met Sky's eyes. "I never said…well… what I mean is…I've wanted to tell you since the moment I first met you – I love you."

"_Peter…_" Sky thought sadly, shocked by Peter's sudden announcement before the moment of his death. Turning away from Sky, Peter looked back at Hiro, his face deadly serious, but torn with anguish.

"Hiro!" He shouted to the shocked Japanese man.

"Peter Petrelli!" Hiro replied with a small nod.

"You can stop this." Peter breathed heavily, sending a quick, sad glance in Sky's direction, blocking her mental shouts from his mind.

"How?"

"I need you to kill me." Peter replied quietly, taking a step towards Hiro and bracing himself for the impact of the sword.

Upon hearing Peter's words, Sylar lifted his head slightly, the pool of blood around him growing rapidly as he died slowly on the ground. He looked up at Peter, glaring at him with intense hate before focusing back to where he telekinetically held Sky. He sent her an unreadable expression before turning his head back towards Hiro and Peter, smirking, then lifting a finger to send Hiro flying across the Plaza towards a large building.

Hiro looked shocked for a moment, before quickly closing his eyes and teleporting just before he was slammed into the rapidly approaching building.

Peter glared down at Sylar, infuriated, but the killer simply smirked in satisfaction as his eyes clouded with eventuality. Sky was sure she saw a trace of remorse as his lids slowly closed on his beautiful, dark eyes. Her heart wrenched in pain, as the only man – monster, who had really understood her, fell back to the ground, lifeless.

Sky hardly realised that she had been released as she sprinted across the Plaza towards Peter's burning form, and Sylar's dark, motionless body.

"No! Stay back!" Peter shouted, holding out a glowing hand to prevent her from moving closer. "I'm sorry." He said gently, his hands burning even brighter as a single tear fell from his eyes to run a sparkling trail down his cheek.

To Sky's alarm, the cheerleader, Claire suddenly appeared from beside the man in horn-rimmed glasses and ran in front of the young woman, pushing her aside as she aimed a gun at Peter.

"What the hell Claire?" Sky asked, her eyes widening as she watched the younger girl take aim at Peter, her hand trembling as she shook her head in desperation.

"Do it." Peter demanded, his eyes still shimmering with tears of regret as his hands glowed red as the morning sun, his face pale and ill-looking in the ghastly light. "Do it! You're the only one Claire!"

"Tell me there's another way… please…" Claire said hoarsely, her voice failing as her hands failed and she dropped the gun on the ground.

It seemed to Sky, that the clunk of the gun hitting the paving was like the drum sounding an oncoming apocalypse. An apocalypse of New York City. Claire continued to sob helplessly, shaking her head hopelessly at her disappointed uncle.

Biting her lip, Sky moved forward quickly to pick up the gun, aiming at her friend, and recently declared lover.

"Sky…" Peter whispered, his voice trembling with emotion. "Shoot me. There's no other way."

His dark brown eyes were begging her to shoot, but Sky's heart was tearing apart her judgement. She sank into the endless chasms of Peter's eyes, feeling his compassion, his weakness, his love for her. She realised that she was no more capable than Claire as she slowly lowered the gun, silently apologising a thousand times over to everyone in New York who was about to be blown up.

A sudden 'whoosh' broke the atmosphere of doom as to everyone's surprise, Nathan Petrelli soared down from the sky and executed a perfect landing between Peter and Sky. Like a hero.

"Yes there is. The future isn't written in stone." Nathan declared firmly, spreading his arms protectively in front of Peter.

"I took his power Nathan." Peter told his brother, his voice devastated as he shook his head. "I can't control it. I can't do anything."

Nathan quickly glanced down at Peter's flame-red, pulsating, radioactive hands before bravely stepping closer to his nuclear brother.

"I'm not leaving you Peter. There's another way to end this, and you know it."

Peter's eyes widened in shock, then he slowly shook his head, his eyes profoundly sad. "I can't let you die!" He protested.

"And I can't let everyone else." Nathan replied bravely. He glanced back at Claire before briefly meeting Sky's tearful, concerned eyes and nodding slightly. "You saved the cheerleader, so we could save the world." He declared.

"I love you Nathan." Peter told Nathan gently before his eyes wandered to Sky's, silently repeating what he had just told his brother.

"I love you too Peter." Nathan raised his eyebrows and quickly glanced up at the sky in anticipation. "You ready?"

Sending one last, longing look at Sky, his eyes full of heartbreaking sadness and love, Peter nodded reluctantly, his hands burning dangerously bright.

Nathan swiftly strode forwards, without a backward glance, and embraced his brother, fearlessly lifting him into the sky.

Everyone around watched in silent remorse as the brothers disappeared into the starry night sky; Mohinder helping the bleeding, middle-aged man, the woman and the two children supporting the tall black man and Claire hugging the man with horn-rimmed glasses. Sky stood alone, looking sadly up at the glittering sky, a single tear running down her cheek.

A sudden explosion of red, brilliant fire lit up the sky, indicating that Peter had detonated, taking Nathan with him. The world seemed cold and frozen – no one except them would know about the brother's heroic death to save the city.

Resisting the temptation to let an unstoppable river of tears fall from her eyes, Sky glanced down, diverting her gaze from the merciless, moonlit sky. It had already forgotten the brother's brave sacrifice.

Sky's eyes widened in shock, her heart skipping a beat as she quickly registered a large pool of blood where Sylar's body had fallen. Frowning in utter disbelief, Sky bent down closer to examine the spot. On closer inspection, she noticed a thin trail of red liquid leading ominously to a nearby drain-cover.

The young woman glanced suspiciously at the other observers, wondering if they had noticed the drain-cover left ajar, and the mysterious disappearance of Sylar's body. She sighed in relief as she realised that the group were all still transfixed by the night sky, hopeful that the brothers would return. But Sky knew better – no one could survive an explosion like that… not even Peter.

She bit her lip to prevent more tears from falling and quickly looked back to the drain. She had a hard decision to make; should she tell the others that Sylar had escaped and risk condemning him to a painful death? Or should she simply leave him? Or…?

Checking that no one was watching, Sky quickly bent down to grasp the drain cover. She was unable to bear the thought of being left completely alone, especially after Peter's heroic death… there was no one else left to help her… except him.

As Sky pulled hard on the drainage cover, she was surprised to find that it easily shifted under her grip. _I guess it figures… that blonde woman had super strength, so I must have acquired her ability too…_

Holding her breath, Sky prepared to jump into the drain. She groaned involuntarily as she landed with a 'splash', waist-deep in a tide of filthy brown water. Briefly considering using her radiation to light up her surroundings, Sky decided against it. The last thing the city needed was another threat of someone going nuclear.

Suddenly, a loud splash broke her thoughts, startling her as she span around instinctively.

"What the hell…?" Sky trailed off as she recognised the large, slim black form of Sylar leaning pitifully against the side of the drain, clutching his wound as he gritted his teeth in pain.

"Go… away…" He told her, in a gruff, uncharacteristically weak voice.

Sky simply raised an eyebrow, unable to read his expression in the half-light.

"You really don't want me to do that." She informed him, leaping forward to catch him as he collapsed and almost went underwater. "Hold tight onto me and I'll get us out of here."

"I said… I don't want… your help…" Sylar gasped, leaning heavily on her shoulder. "Go save Pretty…Petrelli." He added as an afterthought as he spat some of the disgusting water out of his mouth.

Sky paused for a moment, amused that Sylar was showing slight signs of jealousy… or more likely, he was getting possessive.

"For a supposedly intelligent serial killer, you're really not acting very clever at the moment." She informed him, unfazed. Sky could almost feel his anger and frustration at his incapability radiating off him like a dark aura. Lifting her hand for a moment, Sky carefully brushed the killer's unruly dark hair from his eyes before looking into the deep, burning black pits.

"Calm down. I'm going to get us out of here so you can get cleaned up – whether it's with my help or not." Sky told him, slowly feeling her arm going dead from his immense weight.

Quickly closing her eyes, Sky focused on an image in her mind. _Somewhere safe…_ She thought.

As she opened her eyes, they were greeted by the welcoming chirp of young songbirds and the soft, sweet smell of pinesap. Glancing around, Sky quickly recognised where they were as a refreshingly cool wind greeted the two strangers.

"Where…are…we?" Sylar asked, his voice flat and emotionless, his eyes dim from his loss of blood. He was quickly getting weaker, and probably wasn't far from death's doorstep.

Sky bit her lip anxiously. She knew very well that she could easily heal him again by switching abilities. But at the same time, she knew that the killer would be back to his usual, power-thirsty self and would immediately try to find some more people to kill and steal abilities from.

She was abruptly jolted from her thoughts as Sylar groaned loudly, half in pain, half in annoyance that she hadn't answered his question.

"Erm, somewhere in southwest England. My family came here once on a camping trip but we found this little hut in the woods. If we go there we can get shelter and I'll find some supplies or something." Sky explained, dragging the almost unconscious, but persistently reluctant Sylar along on her shoulder.

"I hate you." He growled irritably, obviously feeling the pressure of loosing his independence.

Sky smiled down at him. "Would you still rather I left you here - alone?" She teased.

Sylar glared at her with all the strength he could muster, his dark eyes containing deadly anger as his eyebrows met in a deep V.

_He fell right into that one._ She thought. _Maybe he's loosing his touch… then again, who wouldn't when they'd been stabbed through the chest?_

Moments later, the trees cleared into a pleasant, sun-dappled glade. The sun's soft rays brushing lightly against the rusty bark and dark brown logs which constructed the feeble hut.

Pushing the door open firmly, Sky barged into the shelter and gently laid the helpless killer on the floor. His dark eyes looked up at her resentingly as she explored the small residence. They both knew that she could heal him without a second thought, they both knew that she could have just as easily have left him in the drains if she had wanted him to die. To Sylar, it was only a matter of time until she let him heal.

"I'm er, going to get some firewood Gabriel. I'll be back as soon as I can… but I'm cold at the moment. Okay?" She asked, knowingly perfectly well that Sylar was anything but 'okay'.

Glowering at her, Sylar suddenly surprised Sky as he reached for her neck roughly and squeezed threateningly. "Sylar." He corrected in a deadly voice.

Sky quickly slapped away his hand and backed away from the killer.

"I hardly think you're in a position to be making demands _Gabriel._" Sky emphasised, briefly closing her eyes so she could read his unspoken thoughts.

_Fascinating. She's turned the tables on me again. But she's gonna pay for this as soon as I'm recovered…_

Sylar's head snapped up as he realised that she could hear what he was thinking. Scowling, he cleared his mind until Sky could hear nothing.

"Go get your firewood." He told her venomously, glowering as he leaned against the rough wooden shelter, holding his wounded chest.

"Wait." Sky said quickly, pulling a packet of tissues from her pocket. She moved to put them on Sylar's injury, but stopped abruptly as she anticipated his reaction. Instead, she simply handed them to him. "Put those on to stem the blood."

Sylar looked up at her, a flicker of resentful respect flickering briefly in his dark eyes before he allowed a slightly strained smirk to spread across his face.

"I'm sure there's something that could stem it better." He hinted, watching as Sky pointedly ignored him and strode outside to find her firewood.

Sky simmered as she slammed the door behind her and stomped into the dense gathering of trees. Their leaves whispered soothingly in the soft breeze as if to calm her. The wind fanned out her long, waist-length blonde hair behind her, running soft fingers through the individual strands.

Sky took a deep breath as she leant against one of the oldest trees, seeking reassurance from the wise product of nature.

_Why does he have to be like this every single time?_ She thought bitterly. _I'm not even sure why I rescued him, and I get less certain with every second that passes…_ The young woman frowned. _Well, I know why it is, it's because he's the only damn person who has the vaguest idea of what I'm going through. Now everything's just got ten times worse with Peter saying he…_ She bit down on her lip, hard. Sky desperately searched her thoughts for a decent explanation to why Peter had said he loved her. _I mean, I really liked Peter… but love…? Why didn't he tell me earlier? Now it's too late… now he's gone…_ An unfortunate tuft of grass received a heavy blow from Sky's foot as she kicked the ground in frustration mixed with sadness.

Although she wouldn't admit it, she had grown fond of Peter. Now he was dead and she was helping a psychopathic serial killer heal from his wounds. A psychopathic serial killer who would most likely try to kill Sky once he had recovered.

She sighed, emotionally drained as another cascade of tears ran down her cheeks. She didn't bother to try and stop them. There was no point.

Sky was momentarily distracted as her eye was caught by an oddly shaped piece of wood, reminding her of her mission – collecting firewood. She bent down to pick up the gnarled log and quickly switched abilities to her newly-acquired super strength and proceeded to pick up several more remnants of dead trees before pushing her confused feelings aside and slowly walking back to the hut.

Sky kicked the door open roughly, hardly considering it worth her while to knock as she re-entered the small living space. She swiftly laid the logs on the ground in front of her, before walking over to check on the motionless killer.

Sky recoiled abruptly as she noticed the large pool of blood next to Sylar.

"No." She muttered in disbelief, checking frantically for a pulse on his cold, irresponsive body. "Gabriel? Gabriel! Wake up!" She shouted fearfully. "Sylar…please."

His body remained motionless and stone cold as Sky felt ice spread through her veins. She had killed him. She had let him die when he had asked for her help. She could have saved him. She was a murderer, a monster, just like he had once been.

Sky bit her lip until some blood beaded before running into her mouth, tasting unpleasantly like metal. Sky didn't care. All she could do now was shut her eyes and change abilities in the unlikely hope that the killer wasn't dead.

Her lip stopped bleeding as the cut healed itself, but Sylar continued to lie still in the puddle of his own blood. _This is all my fault. Maybe if I'd left him in the drains, he'd have a chance of surviving, but instead I had to go and interfere. Stupid, thoughtless Sky._

The young woman's eyes filled with tears once again, and unable to stand the sight of her crime any longer, Sky ran outside and fell to her knees, sobbing.

"This is all my fault. My punishment – for what?" She asked, in the vague hope that some transcendent being would answer her. "Why? Why me? _What did I do to deserve this?_"

Sky buried her head in the thick, verdant grass in front of her face, hoping furtively that the pain of loosing so many people she cared about, would just go away.

"What the hell are you doing that for?" Asked a deep, disdainful voice as the trees swayed, whispering, around her.

Not lifting her head from the ground in case it was her imagination, Sky ignored the all-too-familiar voice and continued to perform her silent ritual to the dirt.

"Are you gonna stare at the grass _all _day?" The scornful voice asked again, sounding mildly amused.

Unable to ignore the familiar mocking tone and sarcastic comments any longer, Sky's head snapped around compulsively to observe the intruder. Her mouth dropped open in surprise, and she jumped up from the ground to see the self-same Sylar towering over her with his trademark dark smirk.

"Gabriel…" She whispered in disbelief and without warning, she leapt upon the startled killer and embraced him in relief.

Momentarily stunned, Sylar stood stiffly as the young woman hugged him tightly before pulling away. Sky looked up to meet his deadpan stare as he watched her expressionlessly. Blushing, she respectfully moved back a few steps, a light blush crawling across her face at her instinctive reaction.

"I-I thought you were dead." Sky muttered, diverting her gaze to the ground. _I thought everyone had left me… _She added silently.

"I'm back - back to take that wonderful ability of yours Sky." Sylar grinned ferally as he lifted a finger in preparation to cut open her forehead.

Furious, Sky fearlessly took a step towards the killer and simply grabbed his forefinger, snapping it roughly with her super strength and glowering up at him.

"Think again?" She asked threateningly, as blood poured from his finger while she remained impassionate and cold, refusing to let him heal. Sylar tried to smirk, but only succeeded in a pained grimace as his snapped finger sent stabbing pains up his nerves.

"I saved your_ life_, and _that's_ all the thanks I get?" Sky's voice rose in her emotional distress. "Peter and the others were right. You are a heartless murderer. A _monster_." She paused to see if this was having any impact, but the killer remained unreadable and blank. "I have had it up to here," Sky gestured above her head with her hand. "With this emotional crap. And to be honest, I've enough of these emotions, enough of these powers, and enough of _you!_"

Sky moved swiftly to slap him across his cheek, but found her arm caught in Sylar's steel grip. Becoming even more incensed, Sky blinked the tears from her eyes, only to find that her hands had begun to glow dangerously, reminiscent of Peter's as her emotions made her radioactive and dangerous.

"Calm down." He growled gruffly.

The young woman smirked savagely, as she saw that Sylar was suffering badly from gripping her radioactive arm. The killer refused to release his grip on her nuclear arm, even as the uncontrolled waves of radiation seeped through her hands and into his body, no doubt causing an unbearable amount of pain as it burnt the flesh from his own hand. Sky desperately fought against her anger, calming herself by diverting her gaze from her nuclear arms and looking deep into Sylar's impenetrable, endless black eyes. Sylar casually smirked down at Sky, covering up his pain until her hands gradually began to fade back their normal, nonradioactive state.

Taking in several deep, calming breaths, Sky frowned in confusion, curious as to why the killer had continued to hold her arm rather than let go and risk an explosion.

"Why didn't you let go?" She asked softly, unusually calm after her bout of rage.

"Maybe I didn't want to." He replied curtly, grimacing slightly at the searing pain in his crisped, red hand before raising his eyes back to meet Sky's.

Sighing as she took pity on him, Sky shut her eyes briefly to switch abilities, taking Sylar's scorched and broken fingers in her own and watching as they healed. Inspecting his unflawed hand curiously, Sylar sent Sky a quick nod of thanks before turning away.  
"I must go now, before I cause any more trouble. You can start a new life here and-" She stopped talking as Sylar turned around to carefully lay his hands on her trembling shoulders.

"I didn't think you cared. I didn't think anyone cared. You said yourself; I'm just a killer – a _monster_." Sylar said, with a hint of bitterness in his voice as his eyes remained dark and unreadable.

"But Gabriel. You aren't, because however much you might try to deny it, you _do_ care, but you don't know how to show it." Sky reached out sympathetically and gently laid her hand on Sylar's beating heart, as if hoping to fix it. "Don't blame yourself." She told him, sending him one last, sad look before removing her hand and pulling away to turn towards the trees.

"Wait." Sylar commanded. His voice freezing her in place almost as effectively as his telekinesis. "Thank you for believing in me." The killer choked out, his face horrified by his words as he hastily tried to cover it over with a cool, unfazed smirk.

"Goodbye Gabriel." Sky whispered, taking a few steps towards the killer and reaching out to lightly stroke his hair, before once again turning away in preparation to teleport.

She jumped in surprise, as suddenly a strong pair of hands grabbed her waist, roughly spinning her around to face Sylar once more.

"I said, wait." He repeated in a deep, commanding voice.

Sky's gaze lifted slowly, her heart sinking as she imagined what he was going to say... _There's no way you're leaving me behind. Take me with you._

Her deep, grey-green eyes met his glittering brown, but normally black, dark ones.

"Gab-?" Sky was cut off in mid-question as Sylar bent down and unexpectedly forced his lips on hers, kissing the young woman with sudden passion as he held her close to his strong chest.

She groaned softly as the killer forcibly pushed his tongue inside her mouth, whilst his long, gentle fingers carefully traced the curves of her body.

Sky was surprised to find herself responding in kind; enjoying the feeling of his tongue battling hers as she admired his muscled chest by gently pressing through his shirt, causing him to groan slightly in response. Sylar pulled away from the kiss, panting slightly as his shadowed, impenetrable eyes roamed hungrily over her body.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do that." He whispered seductively as he pulled her yet closer so he could inhale the delicate scent of her hair, his breath gently tickling her ear.

Pulling back slightly so she could see his face, Sky slowly raised her hand to stroke the light covering of stubble on his jawbone.

"Oh, I think I might do." She replied quietly, as she looked from Sylar's dark eyes to his soft lips.

Reaching for the collar of his long, black coat, Sky pulled the killer into another kiss, momentarily surprising him with her own display of passion. Once again breaking the kiss, Sylar looked down at the girl in front of him pensively. He could use someone like her when the time came, especially as she could heal him – if she wanted.

As this thought passed through his head, the unusually aroused Sky pulled him into another passionate kiss and he smirked at her change of character. He liked this new side of Sky.

Before the young woman could protest, she found Sylar's hands beneath her top, delicately stroking her toned midriff before recklessly ripping the top off her torso, then carefully removing his own bloodstained coat and torn shirt. Sky found herself transfixed by Sylar's well-defined muscles rippling underneath his skin as he continued to touch her flesh gently, no longer like a killer, but more like a curious, innocent young man.

It was only a matter of seconds before the rest of their clothes joined their tops on the floor. _This is going to be a long night._ Sky thought with a sigh, before Sylar claimed her lips in another ferocious, but passionate kiss.

Sky awoke to find a strong, handsome arm casually draped across her chest. She stared at it, motionless. A moment later, she carefully slipped it off her stomach and silently climbed out of the makeshift bed on the floor, trying not to wake the sleeping Sylar.

Glancing anxiously at the killer, the surprised young woman noticed how vulnerable he now looked. His face was no longer fixed with a self-satisfied smirk; there was no hunger, no anger, no hatred, only a childish innocence which he instinctively hid from the rest of the world.

He stirred slightly in his sleep, letting out a light moan as he whispered her name.

"Sky…"

Shivering slightly, the young woman quickly diverted her gaze, picking up her trousers and Sylar's coat from the floor. She needed the coat more than he did and he had completely ruined the top she had been wearing.

Sighing wearily, Sky sent the killer one last glance of consternation before stepping outside the rough hut and taking a deep breath of the cool, morning air to clear her mind.

Squinting up at the vivid red, orange and yellow streaked dawn sky, Sky decided to take a walk through the lush, surrounding countryside. It was a beautiful morning, and hopefully the walk would help to comprehend what had transpired during the previous night.

Stepping through the clearing into the deep, dark green forest, Sky rubbed her forehead, disbelieving. _Did I really just sleep with a serial killer? Someone who has tried to kill my best friend? _She shook her head. _What does it make me, if I like…dare I say, love, someone who is so warped? What am I? _Sky paused to lean against one of the gnarled trees. _Maybe I should just teleport out now. Then no one would know what had happened… and Sylar could stay here, a chance for a fresh start…but then what? What if he reverted back to his old ways? I would be top of his list of victims… besides, I doubt I could do that anyway, I've developed a weakness for him… why? _Sky cursed herself and banged her head against the old tree in frustration. _What have I got myself into?_

Taking a few calming breaths, Sky continued to walk through the forestland, as if searching for an answer. But none came. She walked for hours on end through the seemingly endless rows of trees, ivy and grass. A foreign world of green, natural beauty, but in its own way, dangerous and merciless.

_And aren't we all?_ She thought, stubbornly ignoring her body's pleadings for her to stop.

Her muscles aching, her eyes stinging and her entire body coursing with pain and fatigue, Sky eventually tripped on a tree root and collapsed on the ground at the base of a hollow oak.

The young woman was utterly spent. She had walked for hours without stopping and although her body could heal, apparently it couldn't prevent fatigue. Unable to move her aching muscles even slightly, Sky's tired eyes began to flicker shut until she fell into a deep, unwilling, but irresistible sleep.

Sky wasn't aware as a hunched figure holding a bundle of sticks paused cautiously upon seeing the girl collapse by the oak. She didn't feel his strong arms around her as he slowly lifted her and wove through the forest until he finally emerged out into a large clearing, carefully laying her on the ground outside a rough house. She didn't see as the limping man re-emerged from his home and a light seemed to radiate from his body until a small, opaque sphere of pure white light hovered in the clearing, illuminating everything in sight. She didn't sense the dark aura rapidly approaching the clearing. The hunger was coming for her.

_**Hi guys! **_

_**Sorry this has taken so long to publish. I've been pretty busy recently. But hopefully I'll get more done soon :)**_

_**I'm thinking that my parallel to season 1 should end shortly, but I have got a good set of ideas for season 2.**_

_**Anyway, hopefully this is all okay (not sure about the fluff with Sylar :S)**_

_**Please tell me what you think :) **_

_**Till later,**_

_**~ TheMastersDaughter**_


	9. Unstoppable

**Two Sides Of The Same Coin**

Sky woke a few hours later to find herself laying next to a cheerful, comforting fire. Stretching her aching limbs, she quickly came to her senses and glanced at her surroundings; she was leaning against the walls of an old, wooden hut, not so unlike the one she had left Sylar in… Sylar…

Sky wondered what he would think when he woke up to find his bed-companion gone. _Probably not a lot, except the usual – that he wants to kill me. _She thought bitterly.

A twig crunched outside the door and Sky rose to her feet defensively, preparing herself for an ambush. The young woman quickly relaxed as she realised that it was only an old, hunchbacked man. The man glanced up at her, unfazed, before carefully laying a small bundle of wood by the entrance. Brushing off his clothes, the old man turned back to Sky with a delicate china cup in his hand, he had filled it to the brim with a crystal clear liquid – presumably water.

As he began to limp towards Sky, he tripped over a stray log and fell, the precious china cup tipping in slow motion. Sky instinctively closed her eyes, switching abilities just in time to stop the china falling as she lunged forward to prevent the old man from hitting the ground.

She breathed out in relief as she supported the old cripple until he regained his balance. He grinned a toothless grin of gratitude and patted Sky gently on the arm.

As he turned back to the entrance, the old man froze upon noticing the china cup hovering, unsupported in the air. Frowning, he turned back to Sky who quickly used her telekinesis to pull the cup into her hand.

The young smiled down at the old man as if nothing had happened. "This is yours right?" She asked kindly, handing him the cup.

The old man shook his head in disbelief before his grin grew wider. "It is for you…special girl." He croaked.

"Me? Special? No! I'm completely ordinary." Sky covered up quickly, her artificial smile failing to reach her eyes.

"That cup has a will of its own then?" The old man asked in amusement before clearing his throat. "You are a special girl."

Unsure how to reply, Sky nodded and accepted the cup pensively. She watched the old man limp over to the logs and place another one on the fire as she carefully sipped the liquid. It wasn't water; it was unnaturally sweet but at the same time, light and pleasant.

"You're wondering how I know you're special? Apart from the flying cup?" The old man chuckled as he met Sky's curious gaze.

Sky smiled again. "I can't help but wonder." She replied.

"I can do something amazing too, but my village cast me out – they were frightened…I was a threat to them" The old man confessed, sadness flickering briefly across his wrinkled face.

"What can you do?" Sky asked in fascination, sitting up, her legs crossed attentively, desperate to find out about his ability.

"This." He replied. Sky could see the trust and a feeling of kinship in his eyes, it was obvious that it had been a long time since he had last talked to another human. He was an outcast, a hermit and now finally, he could share his secret. _Maybe I should be a hermit too… that way I wouldn't cause any more harm by helping dangerous, murdering psychopaths…_ She bit down on her lip before turning her attention back to the old man.

Sky's eyes widened in disbelief as the hermit's body began to glow with a pure white light and he smiled blissfully. She watched in amazement as the light began to accumulate in the old man's chest before forming into a sphere and separating from his body, hovering in the centre of the room like a luminous, miniature sun.

"That really is beautiful." Sky whispered.

The old man nodded happily as the light slowly began to fade, and his body ceased to glow white, reverting to its usual colour.

"And you can levitate objects." He said in a way reminiscent of a small child discovering a new toy.

"Yeah… and other stuff too." Sky smiled and focused her strength on using the old man's abilities. Briefly closing her eyes, the young woman glanced down at her body as she felt a sudden tingling run through her chest, spreading into her limbs. The old man watched in delight as Sky began to glow pure white, her skin opaque and shining.

"An angel…" He whispered happily. "A special girl for certain."

The old man reached out his hand to touch her glowing skin as his began to shine too, the entire hut was lit up by the brilliant white light that jointly radiated from their luminous bodies.

The moment was ruined, as suddenly, the old man was thrown backwards by a powerful invisible force, slamming him roughly against the wooden wall as a loud, dark chuckle echoed through the clearing.

"You're right. She is special. _Very_ special… and the best part? She's _all _mine." The calm, emotionless voice announced as Sylar stepped into the hut, his shadow towering threateningly as his dark figure filled the doorway like a character from nightmares. A twisted smirk danced on his lips as he strode towards the defenceless old man.

The old man shook his head, trembling in fear as the killer drew closer. The light faded rapidly from Sky's body as she desperately tried to prevent Sylar from hurting the innocent hermit.

"No! Stop Gabriel! Don't do this! Don't you-" She was cut off as Sylar wearily rolled his eyes towards the ceiling and lazily reached out a hand to paralyze Sky with his telekinesis. Jerking his head back to the old man, his smirk grew wider. "So tiresome. I sometimes wonder why I don't just kill her… oh well." He sighed before looking directly into the defenceless hermit's eyes. "I suppose I will just have to kill you instead."

Sylar's eyes glittered with anticipation as he raised a finger and telekinetically began to slice open the man's head. Sky screamed furiously as she was forced to watch, her eyes transfixed with horrified fascination as the cut grew wider, the crimson liquid trickling down the old man's wizened face until he ceased struggling, the light fading from his body and plunging the hut back into darkness.

Sylar bent over curiously, rolling his sleeves up before removing the thin layer of flesh that covered the man's head, he smirked triumphantly as he revealed his victim's brain and began to examine it, completely absorbed in his 'work'. Sky realised now, this is what he meant about seeing how people work. It was repulsive.

Eventually, Sylar stood up victoriously and held out his scarlet hands as he approached Sky with a dark glint in his eye.

"Look Sky. See what I can do?" He asked in proud satisfaction as his hands began to glow with the perfect white light.

Disgusted, Sky glared at him. "You're a _monster._" She spat angrily, meeting his eyes with fearless defiance.

"A monster you slept with." Sylar summarised easily. He fondly reached up to lightly stroke Sky's cheek, smearing the blood from his hands onto her face.

Sky instinctively turned away, unbearably ashamed, furious with herself. She knew what he said was true, and she could not bear to hear it. Instead, she diverted her eyes from his and turned away. "I'd rather die than repeat the experience." She lied quietly. _More like I'd rather die than face the consequences of what I've done…_

Sylar raised a disbelieving eyebrow before shaking his head slightly, his hand sliding down from her face, to rest gently on her neck leaving a gory trail of crimson blood on her exposed skin. "That's why you ran away, isn't it Sky? Why you left me. You _want_ to die, you _want_ me to kill you. To save you from knowing that you condemned countless thousands of innocent people to die by saving me." He diagnosed with uncanny accuracy as he shook his head and tutted mockingly. "Not so easy Sky. You're gonna suffer with me." He grabbed Sky's chin and turned her face to the innocent, dead hermit's body oozing a pool of scarlet blood onto the ground. "Look what you did Sky." Sylar smirked. "You're not _similar_ to me. You're just the same." Sky swiftly pulled her chin from his grip, her eyes burning angrily. "You as good as killed him. Now who's the monster?" He asked smugly, raising an eyebrow in triumph.

"I wanted to do the right thing. For everyone…" Sky trailed off sadly, she knew he was right, she was in no way superior to him.

"If you were really trying to do the right thing… trying to be a _hero_," Sylar sneered sarcastically at the word, "Then why did you let me live? You knew what I'd do."

"I'm no hero, I'm just as bad." Sky agreed submissively, her voice flat and detached. Sylar raised an eyebrow at her unusually docile attitude, it unnerved him to see her so obedient. He didn't like it. "Let's go." He ordered, wrapping a bloody arm around her shoulders as he guided the irresponsive and silent young woman towards the door.

Sky paused for a moment as they emerged outside, she needed a plan, desperately. This couldn't continue. She bit her lip. This was all her fault, so she needed to correct her mistakes.

"I-I'm hungry. I want to get some food." She said lamely, her voice trembling with the unconvincing lie. Sylar raised an eyebrow, more than a little suspicious.

"Well you're the one who can teleport. What are you waiting for?" He asked, turning to look down into her eyes. He wanted to know the truth. _What are you plotting Sky?_

Sky shook her head, diverting her eyes from Sylar's. Once she had made this decision, there was no going back. Glancing up briefly, she immediately fell under the killer's spell and found herself hypnotised by his dark, penetrating eyes as he tried to understand her secret motif. Shivering involuntarily, Sky quickly looked away and shut her eyes, Sylar roughly tightened his grip on her shoulders as they teleported.

Sky squinted, unaccustomed to the bright streetlights as they appeared in a busy New York high street. Apparently it was still night-time in America, even after the little expedition to England. Sylar glowered down at Sky, unimpressed. He was supposed to be dead; the last thing he wanted was to have his cover blown by appearing in the middle of New York. In addition, the surplus of noise was rapidly giving him a pounding headache.

"There's a nice restaurant around the corner here. You go order something, I need to use the bathroom." Sky shouted in Sylar's ear over the deafening New York traffic. "Actually, second thoughts, you should probably wash your hands off." She added, her eyes falling pointedly on his bloody hands.

Sylar felt extremely apprehensive as his head buzzed with the input of thousands of different sounds. His super hearing was often useful, but this definitely wasn't one of those times. He rubbed his forehead wearily, closing his eyes for a moment to block out the distracting, blaring sounds as he tried to focus on comprehending Sky's untrustworthy behaviour. He knew how things worked, and according to his theories, people didn't normally act calm and composed after seeing a brutal murder in front of their eyes. Not unless they were slightly unbalanced.

The killer shrugged, he had what he wanted now. He was alive and back in New York. What else did he need from Sky? Then again, she might by a threat. Maybe he should just kill her now. She was the only witness to know he was alive.

As he reached a decision, he removed his shaking hand from his forehead and turned back to Sky, only to find that she wasn't there. She had already gone.

Cursing, Sylar scanned the surrounding area, but he couldn't see her and his super hearing couldn't pick up the sound of her unique heartbeat. He growled, his eyebrows lowering in restrained anger.

The killer watched disinterestedly as a young man on a motorbike pulled up on the nearby pavement. A twisted smirk slowly spread across his handsome face.

Sylar had a plan.

Sky quickly closed her eyes and teleported as soon as the killer was distracted by the epiphany of noise surrounding him. The first stage of her plan had been successful, now it was only a question of getting to the enigmatic 'Company' before Sylar got to her.

Sky had only gleaned brief mentions and fragments of memory about the Company from her accidental trip into Claire's mind, but she knew enough to know where to teleport.

The young woman's eyes flickered open, her heart pounding as she arrived in a vast car park outside a large building, Texas. Sky glanced up at the building. _Who would think to hide an organisation like the Company under the front of a paper company?_ She thought, mystified as she read the bold script labelling the sizeable concrete construction building, Primatech.

The building looked empty and the only source of light was from the numerous streetlamps dimly illuminating the car park. Sighing, Sky shut her eyes in preparation to teleport inside.

Sky blinked, her eyes unaccustomed to the glaring brightness as she appeared in a long, white corridor lit with bright, fluorescent lights. Raising her arm to protect her face from their relentless intensity, Sky followed the corridor, glancing curiously through the mysterious, closed blinds, occasionally trying the odd door handle but finding them all tightly locked. Finally, Sky discovered a door left ajar near the end of the long corridor. Her heart beating faster, the young woman's pace quickened to a run and she barged inconsiderately into the room.

There was a moment of stunned silence as Sky took in the appearance of the gloomy office, a large wooden desk set in the centre where a short, balding man with glasses was scolding a young, pretty blonde. They glanced up at her in alarm as she paused, frozen in the doorway, unsure what to do.

"Er… this is the Company right?" She asked, breaking the silence.

Before Sky could react, the young blonde descended on her, her hands sparking with lightening-blue electricity which she held to Sky's throat, threatening to electrocute her.

"What should I do with her Daddy?" The blonde asked, holding the electricity close to Sky's throat, singeing her skin.

"Let her _go_ Elle." The man ordered, looking at Sky warily through his glasses as the blonde unwillingly pushed her away, disappointed. "Now, let's start nice and simple." He reached into his pocket and produced a gun which he aimed directly at Sky's forehead. "How did you get in here?"

The blonde, Elle, smirked, her hands continuing to produce fierce sparks as she smirked sadistically.

"I teleported. And I came here for a reason." Sky replied calmly, warily eyeing the gun and the man holding it.

"Go on." He prompted, lowering the gun fractionally.

"I have reason to believe that a serial killer is at large. A rather dangerous one."

"And why does that matter to us?" The man asked, raising an eyebrow and exchanging a glance with Elle.

"It's…" Sky bit her lip. "His name is Sylar."

The man and Elle's eyes widened in a mixture of fear, surprise and excitement as they glanced knowingly at one another. The man lowered the gun and tucked it back in his belt before sending a fake smile to Sky.

"Call me Bob." He introduced. "Pleased to make your acquaintance miss…?"

"Driver. Sky Driver." Sky finished.

The blonde walked over cockily and held out her hand with a smirk. "Elle. Hi Sky." Sky hesitated for a moment before reaching out to shake Elle's extended hand.

"Ouch!" Sky exclaimed as a strong surge of electricity passed from Elle's outstretched hand, up her arm, leaving her nerves tingling.

"_Elle._" Bob said sternly, frowning at his daughter. Elle giggled mischievously.

"Sorry! Just happens with some people." She apologised insincerely, her voice sweet and sugary.

Sky raised an eyebrow, immediately detecting Elle's pretence. "No worries. I think I can cope." She bit back sarcastically.

"Well, I'd better make a phone call and alert our agents that our old friend survived." Bob nodded at Elle. "Would you care for a drink miss Driver?" He offered as Elle sent him a death look as she slouched over to the drinks cabinet, hidden carefully in a corner of the room.

"No. I'm okay thanks." Sky declined politely, remaining alert and slightly wary. She watched with a frown as Bob picked up his phone, dialled a number, sent a smile to Sky and muttered a few, inaudible words down the line. For a moment, the young woman thought of Sylar, wishing he could be there with her to tell her exactly what Bob had been saying. She was feeling suspicious. The look shared by Elle and her father was not an ambiguous one.

"So how did you know how find us?" Bob asked conversationally, relaxing back into his chair as Elle handed him a glass of amber liquid before seating herself comfortably on the sofa next to his desk.

"Oh… er…" Sky stalled, unsure what to say in response. She didn't want the company to hunt down Claire. Sky discreetly closed her eyes momentarily and switched abilities.

_Ha! Bet she can't smart-talk her way out of this one. Sylar's good little girl won't admit she's allied with him._ Thought Elle, sending Sky a bright, innocent white smile.

_Great. So they think I'm working with Sylar. Stupid people._

"Sylar might have mentioned it. Actually," She laid on matter-of-factly, realising that it was too late to deny it, "He's probably on his way here now, to pick me up." _If only…_

Elle's eyes widened in surprise, however, Bob simply smiled calmly, his mind easily blocking Sky's attempts to read his thoughts. "It's a good thing we're ready then. This room." He waved at his office walls. "Blocks anyone's abilities. Except a select few of course." Bob glanced at Elle and they exchanged smirks as she rose to her feet, her hands sparking threateningly at her sides. "I suggest you come easily."

"Yes, we really do." Elle added sweetly, her eyes sparkling in excitement.

Sky paused.

_Daddy's agents should be here in no time. I've only gotta hold her back till then. This should be fun!_

"Think again guys. Who said teleportation was my only ability?" Sky replied with a smirk, shutting her eyes briefly to switch abilities.

A sudden, stabbing pain in her neck made the young woman spin around furiously, grasping her punctured skin and using her telekinesis to throw her ambusher against the wall, knocking them unconscious.

Elle moved forward, a dark grin on her face as she reached out her hands as if throwing a basketball and a large sphere of blue electricity whirled towards Sky, crackling dangerously as it spun, faster than lightning towards the young woman.

Sky instinctively jumped out of the lightning-ball's path as it hurtled past her, and found to her surprise that she had subconsciously risen up into the air. _Hold on a minute. I didn't even blink!_ She thought in amazement. _Ha! This could certainly work to my advantage._

Bob and Elle looked up open-mouthed at Sky, as she hovered smugly over the smouldering hole in the wall, created by Elle's ball of compressed lightning.

"Still think this is going to be easy Elle?" Sky teased, adrenalin running through her veins, heightening her senses. Now that the room was damaged, maybe she could access the rest of her abilities.

Elle smirked confidently and stepped forward, accepting Sky's challenge. "You bet it little girl." Her hands began to crackle with a new surge of electricity as the blonde's eyes lit up in delight.

Sky only just moved in time as Elle produced a powerful bolt of lightning which lanced across the room to hit the ceiling, missing the flying woman by inches.

"Is that all you're gonna do Sky? Move out the way?" Elle taunted. "Why don't you do something more like… _this_!" The blonde unexpectedly aimed at the light above Sky's head, causing a flurry of sparks to rain down on the young woman's head forcing her to fly back down.

Landing into a ready crouch, Sky glanced up into Elle's gleeful eyes. She was loving every moment of this. Wondering if she could pull off the same stunt twice, Sky held out her hand, using her telekinesis to slam Elle firmly against the wall, reminding her of who was more powerful.  
A sudden, loud click next to Sky's ear reminded her of Bob's presence as he cocked his gun, holding it threateningly close to her skull. "You're not taking this the easy way, are you?" He sighed wearily, as Sky froze, fully aware that she was vulnerable. Who knew if she could recover from a bullet to her brain?

"You're not going to kill me." Sky told him confidently, pushing Elle slightly further into the wall and causing the white plaster to snap away and accumulate in her blonde hair.

"What makes you so certain?" Bob asked in a cold, emotionless voice as he glanced between Sky and his squirming daughter.

"What use am I to you dead?" She queried, raising a mocking eyebrow as Elle whimpered from the pressure induced on her by the telekinesis.

"What use are you to us alive?" Bob bit back, instinctively pulling the trigger as Elle screamed out.

Sky instantly prevented the bullet from hitting her using her telekinesis, then caught it in her hand with a careless flourish. She smirked at the stunned Bob, before twirling her arm and producing a powerful bolt of lightning, not dissimilar to Elle's and aiming it at his chest. The helpless man was thrown mercilessly across the room by the surge of electricity causing him to hit the opposing wall with a loud crash. Sky watched as Bob slowly drew himself to his feet, his clothes singed and smoking, his face red and scorched.

"You're a mimic." The man panted with a hint of fear as he clawed away from Sky, eyeing the powerful young woman warily before turning his scorched face to Elle. "Be careful Elle. This one's fast."

Sky spun around to find that Elle had somehow escaped her telekinetic grip. _Did I switch abilities again? _Sky wondered before a sudden bolt of unrestrained electrical energy hit her in the chest, sending an unpleasant tingling feeling through her body.

"Oh yes Daddy, she's fast alright. But there's no way she can beat me." Elle's sugary, girly voice rang out from behind her.

Spinning around as her body healed itself; the burnt, red flesh knitting back together, Sky met eyes with the electric girl, whose hands, by her sides, shimmered with the vibrant blue energy. Before Elle had chance to strike, Sky lifted her hand and masterfully sent a small sphere of electricity hurtling towards the blonde.

The fight was interrupted, as suddenly the door burst open to reveal a crowd of armed, Company agents. Their guns pointed directly at Sky's exposed head.

Before anyone had chance to pull the trigger, Sky telekinetically threw Bob's desk through the window behind it, then lifting her other hand, she pushed a cabinet of files towards the agents, blocking their firearms as numerous bullets and tasers flew in her direction. Dodging around the crackling, electrical Elle, Sky jumped through the hole in the window and soared up into the night air, leaving a trail of devastation behind her.

Bob carefully pulled himself out of the wreckage of his office, holding a hand to his injured chest as his daughter wrapped a supportive arm around him.

"We're gonna have to get this cleared up by tomorrow. But at least we got the important thing." Bob said to Elle, nodding his thanks to the agents as he gazed up at Sky's disappearing form, black against the glittering stars.

Elle smirked, a small tracking-screen in her hand. "Yes Daddy. I got it."

Sky soared threw the air, enjoying the pure exhilaration of flying as the wind whipped savagely against her face and the stars twinkled comfortingly above her. Eventually, the young woman decided to drop down, landing clumsily on the boggy, green ground of a desolate countryside valley. Brushing herself off, Sky paused a moment to settle her thoughts. From what she had seen of the Company, they were not nice people. And even Sylar didn't deserve the torture of being imprisoned there.

Biting her lip, the young woman reached a decision, hoping that it was an improvement on her previous ones. Shutting her eyes hesitantly, Sky concentrated on the same alley she had teleported into only hours ago.

Her lids flickering open, Sky quickly realised that she wasn't in the same place she had teleported into earlier. This alley was considerably darker, and eerily quiet. The moonlight loomed down, casting a peculiar half-light on the deserted, ghostly street.

A suffocating blanket of ivy covered a rapidly decaying wall, trapping the broken bricks beneath its angular, green leaves like a natural prison. Sky shivered. She had just experienced a fight for her life, but the shadowy alley installed far more fear in her than Elle ever could.

A loud crash made Sky jump, she swiftly spun around on her heel, her pulse increasing fearfully as her eyes scanned the alley's entrance. A small cat's shining eyes widened curiously at the young woman as it peered around the rubbish bin it had knocked over. Sky laughed lightly. A scavenging cat! That was all.

The cat mewled softly and lifted its tail in a friendly gesture, abandoning its bin to saunter over to Sky's legs, greeting them by gently rubbing its soft head against her jeans. Smiling, the young woman bent down to stroke the small cat as it briefly glanced up, acknowledging her with its saucer-like yellow eyes. The little scavenger wound itself around Sky's legs as it began to purr harder, enjoying the young woman's attention.

Suddenly, the cat froze, its muscles tense and tightened, its fur bottle-brushed and stiff as it abandoned Sky, easily climbing up the blanket of ivy and leaping over the edge of the wall.

_Gee, thanks. _ Sky thought as she glanced at the wall where the cat had disappeared. _Wonder if it'll come back… or maybe even the cats are leaving me now._

Sky rubbed her arms as a sudden cold breeze washed over the alleyway, chilling her body through to the bone. She shuddered involuntarily, an irresistible feeling of fatigue creeping over her pale limbs.

But Sky wasn't tired. She had been fine only a matter of seconds ago. Then it clicked. The cat had not bolted because of her; there was something else coming.

Sky turned apprehensively towards the entrance of the alleyway, fear coating her body in a fine sheen of perspiration as it became increasingly difficult for her to move her aching muscles. Her heart sank as she noticed a figure striding towards her down the street. With every step the shadow took, more of Sky's strength and her will to draw breath was drained away.

Fighting against the compulsion to stand still and watch the terrifying stranger approach, Sky began to run, her frantic heart pounding like a caged bird as her riling senses detected the frightening man's approach, his loud footsteps echoing through the alley. The young woman gulped in fearful realisation as she desperately searched for an escape route away from the dead end in front of her. She was caged in. Trapped.

_At least the cat got away. _Sky thought gloomily as she slowly turned around to face the figure. His teeth gleamed eerily as the passageway grew darker, the light fading mysteriously as Sky's exhausted limbs trembled weakly. She tried to back away from the threatening stranger, but she could hardly move, let alone use her powers as the tiredness spread rapidly through her body. She was helpless.

Sky sank to the ground, her life-force almost completely drained by the frightening man. For once, she felt the cold, very real hand of fear clasp its deadly fingers around her heart as the figure strode forwards, leering down at her.

"So much energy…" His rough voice hissed as he inhaled loudly through his teeth. "It's intoxicating…" He bent down until his pockmarked, shadowy face was level with hers. "You're mine now." He whispered as Sky desperately tried to back away from him, finding herself unable to move even her fingers.

The young woman shuddered in disgust as the man leaned closer until his rancid breath suffocated her. She shut her eyes instinctively, waiting for him to take the remains of her energy and to kill her.

A loud crash startled Sky, and her eyes flickered open to see the pursuer held in a powerful, invisible grip as he hovered several feet off the ground, choking. The man reached for his throat as he gagged. Sky let out a sigh of relief, her body tingling pleasantly as a familiar dark figure emerged from the shadows, his voice cold and calm while he strode closer to Sky's ambusher.

"Wrong." Sylar said quietly. "She's mine." He easily twitched a finger and slammed the terrified man against the alley wall, his lips twisting into a superior smirk.

Sylar spared a quick glance of concern for Sky before raising his hand in preparation to cut open the stalker's skull. The young woman uttered a small, inaudible moan of protest as Sylar's eyes narrowed in concentration and his victim's screams echoed eerily through the alleyway.

It was over after a few moments, and Sylar once again crouched down to scrutinize the man's brain with an obsessive focus. Sky was too weak to do anything but watch as the killer found what he wanted and straightened up with a triumphant smirk. He turned, as if to leave, but then glanced back at Sky, his dark eyes glittering as he exuded an aura of power.

"He was right. It is …intoxicating." Sylar said simply, his voice emotionless and smooth as he walked purposely towards Sky. "But you… you are different, special. I don't understand how you work, but I want to – and I will… one day." He leaned down to brush the hair from her eyes, tenderly caressing her cheek in the process.

"You saved me." Sky whispered breathlessly, unable to believe that the killer had helped her of his own free will, especially after she had abandoned him.

Sylar inclined his head slightly, his face hidden and unreadable as he ducked beneath the shadows. "Maybe I just wanted his ability." He replied finally, his voice silky and calm, never betraying even a trace of emotion.

"Why…why did you do it…?" Sky asked weakly, her own voice trembling as her energy levels remained unbearably weak.

"Kill him?" Sylar asked dispassionately, wrapping a strong arm around Sky's shoulders as she slumped, nearing unconsciousness. "He was gonna kill you. Would you rather I let him?"

"You didn't…have to kill him. He screamed for… mercy. What if… what if you were in his position?"

"I'm not. I am a natural progression of the species. He was inferior. Dangerous. But I am in control of my powers. He didn't know how to use his – he didn't _deserve _it_. _He was just another threat to innocent lives and I saved them." Sylar justified calmly, a smirk creeping across his handsome features as he ran his fingers through Sky's blonde hair, staining it with red streaks of blood. The killer held the bloody strands to his face and inhaled deeply, his eyes glittering in satisfaction.

"No… you don't understand…" Sky protested weakly, shying away from his grip as he stroked her face tenderly. "They have as much right to live as you do…maybe more…" Sylar lifted an amused, but disbelieving eyebrow as he fondly entwined his crimson fingers in Sky's hair. "Please… just stop."

Unsure whether she was talking about his hands in her hair, or his natural compulsion to kill, Sylar glanced up to meet her eyes, his previous thoughts of killing her temporarily forgotten.

"I can't. I'm fixing them. Fixing the world. Think Sky, if I hadn't stopped him, what would that man be doing now?" He gestured to the body sprawled carelessly on the cobbled ground.

"He… he might've stopped. Left me alone." Sky said sleepily, forcing her eyes to stay open, fighting the tiredness.

"And if not?" Sylar prompted.

"He'd probably be… frightened… or scared… he might try to kill himself in repentance…" Sky said quietly, her voice weak and strained as she leaned gratefully on Sylar's supportive arm.

Sylar raised an eyebrow in an 'I don't think so' expression as he looked deep into Sky's eyes. "Or what if he was like me? A monster?" The killer asked softly, his arm pulling the defenceless young woman closer to his warm, comforting body.

"He'd just keep killing." Sky realised flatly as Sylar smirked in victorious amusement. "What about me? Aren't I dangerous?" She challenged him.

"You're special. Like me." He replied in a silky whisper causing a shiver to run down Sky's spine.

"Special how? Why?"

"You're mine." Sylar repeated simply, suddenly pulling her closer and holding her cheeks in his hands before carefully lowering his lips onto hers. "Together…" He breathed, inadvertently tickling her face. "We're unstoppable."

_**Hi guys!**_

_**Sorry this chapter was a bit shorter, I was struggling a little to write it. So please tell me if I should go over it again tomorrow and give it another look-over.**_

_**Anyway, I hope it was acceptable.**_

_**Hopefully I'm going to finish my equivalent of season 1 soon, and I might move on to season 2 – maybe. (I have a few ideas to get started on anyway.)**_

_**Thank you so much to all my reviewers! I love support! It always helps me to get my writing done. :)**_

_**Please continue to review, and I will do my best to reply! (Sorry if I haven't yet, I will get around to it asap)**_

_**Thanks for reading!**_

_**~TheMastersDaughter**_


	10. Betrayal

**Two Sides Of The Same Coin**

_He saved me. Protected me, even after I abandoned him. Why?_

Sky didn't have a chance to protest as Sylar carefully wrapped his arms around her trembling body and effortlessly lifted her, bridal-style against his muscular torso, his strong scent washing over the young woman, making her eyes flicker closed to better inhale his intoxicating masculine smell.

The young woman sighed, content to lay in the killer's reassuring arms as she remained desperately weak from her recent encounter with the power drainer. She could barely stand independently without the immanent danger of collapsing.

Sky discreetly looked up through her long lashes at the serial killer as he strode confidently down the alley, his gaze fixed on some invisible point and his eyebrows lowered in a serious frown indicating deep thought, his lips no longer twisted in a smirk, but instead a thin line of intense concentration. Instinctively deploying her considerable skill of people-reading, Sky quickly arrived at the conclusion that Sylar was probably equally mystified as to why he had chosen to save the young woman.

After a few moments, Sky forced herself to fully open her eyes and gently prodded Sylar's hard chest until he glanced down at her, his eyes dark and mysterious and the knowing smirk dancing secretively on his lips.

"How…how did you find me?" She asked Sylar's hot torso, incapable of raising her head due to the fatigue that still laid heavily on her weak muscles. Although her limbs were gradually regaining their lost energy, she was still too feeble to be able to hold any strenuous posture for a decent amount of time, much less attempt to walk.

Sylar paused for a moment to glance down at the defenceless young woman laying unresisting, in his strong arms. His black eyes cleared for a moment, a barely perceptible flicker of emotion sparking across the dark abysses before fading once more into blackness.

It would be so easy to kill her now. She was so weak. So vulnerable. Defenceless. As his thoughts strayed to the appealing thought of cutting a bloody laceration into her forehead, hearing her indignant screams of agony, Sylar cringed. The thought repulsed him. Why?

Surely he, of all people, was not developing a consciousness… no. Sylar shook his head slightly, as if to clear it. He just could not extinguish this fire of a woman when she was doused. He wanted a challenge. Sky would not be worth her while dead if she did not have the chance to fight back. No, that would be no fun at all.

Sylar turned his wandering, pensive gaze back to Sky, his dark, glittering eyes meeting her bright, inquiring ones. He raised a mocking eyebrow and cocked his head slightly as the trademark smirk sneaked back across his lips.

"Ohh… with so many abilities, all of them come in useful sometime." He answered dispassionately, his smirk growing wider at the mild expression of disgust that appeared on Sky's pale face.

The young woman averted her eyes and pretended not to feel the inevitable tingling down her spine as the killer stretched his arm to gently stroke her cheek, rubbing his forefinger in small circles across her skin until a light pink flush returned to her white face. She tilted her head slightly to cast a glance through the protective cage of his arms as the blaring, but comfortingly familiar sound of traffic reached her ears. The reassuring, bright white headlights welcomed the couple as they emerged from the sinister darkness of the alley behind them.

Sky glanced up inquiringly at Sylar, puzzled as he began to stride purposefully towards a powerful, midnight black motorbike parked next to the kerb which easily filled an entire parking space with its huge bulk.

Sylar momentarily propped Sky on his knee as he reached into his pocket to produce a silver key ring which he dangled with a twisted, dark grin, in front of Sky's awestruck face.

"How the heck did you…?" Sky began to ask, then quickly changed her mind as she noticed the proud glint in Sylar's dark eyes. "No, wait. I don't think I want to know the answer." He simply sent her a sinister wink and raised his dark eyebrows evocatively.

Sylar carefully leant Sky against the motorbike before laying his hand on the seat and easily mounting it with one elegant jump. _Show off._ Sky thought, rolling her eyes as she rested heavily against the bike's impeccably shiny, black paintwork.

The young woman jumped as the killer's arms unexpectedly, but tenderly wrapped themselves around her waist and carefully pulled her onto his lap so that she was sandwiched between Sylar's muscular body and the handlebars. A small frown crossed her face as he purposefully leant forward, teasingly tickling her exposed neck with his breath while reaching for the handlebars, forcibly pushing his body intimately against hers.

A small blush crossed Sky's face as she was forced to lean back onto the killer's strong torso due to the fatigue dominating her body. Sylar's smirk turned into a sadistic grin at her proximity, obviously being in control was a big turn-on for him.

"Ready?" He whispered into her ear, testing her as he swept her mane of golden hair to one side and laid a well-placed kiss on the soft exposed flesh, sending an uncontrollable shiver to tingle through Sky's body.

Without waiting for an answer, a devilish, satisfied smirk evident on his face, Sylar aggressively revved the motorbike's engine; producing a satisfying roar and causing a few dazed passersby to turn in alarm. Raising his eyebrows with a malicious expression at the on-lookers, Sylar touched Sky's waist reassuringly before kicking off from the kerb, leaving a cloud of choking, grey smoke in their wake.

Sky watched disinterestedly as the flashing, bright, city passed by in a collection of colourful blurs and whirring sounds. She relaxed back against Sylar's comforting chest, fitting perfectly into his immense shape before slowly letting her eyelids droop, falling into the dark world of dreams.

Minutes, then hours flew by as Sylar drove on the endless road, away from the glittering light of New York City out into the surrounding, densely populated clusters of houses. He wondered just how many people would have been killed if his nemesis, Peter had succeeded in going nuclear. It still stung his pride that Peter had turned out the 'special' one. That he had been stabbed by a silly little Japanese man. He was Sylar. He was better than all of them. He was special.

Sylar's gaze swept down to the sleeping woman on his lap before flicking back onto the road ahead of him. Another frown knitted his dark eyebrows into a line of focus as he battled the conflicting emotions within him.

Was he - the unstoppable serial killer, Sylar - going soft? Did he actually _like_ this girl? No… Sylar didn't like people. He used them. The killer firmly tried to convince himself of this fact, repeating it in his mind like a mantra.

One of his hands unconsciously wandered from the handlebars to brush a few stray, golden hairs away from Sky's peaceful, sleeping face. An amused smirk twisted his lips as he noticed she had clasped the rough material of his shirt, balling it in her small hand while a slight smile was spread peacefully across her pink lips. The killer's hand strayed to Sky's small nose, gently stroking its soft texture before forcing his reluctant hand back onto the handlebars.

Sylar's hands clenched into tight fists, his knuckles showing white on the handlebars as his internal conflicts continued. He didn't like, and certainly didn't love, anyone. So why did he feel so protective of the young woman laid vulnerably against his chest?

The killer shut his eyes momentarily in an effort to clear his mind of the distracting, contradictive thoughts. He inhaled a deep breath of fresh air, reopening his eyes to find a mercifully straight, empty length of road stretching in front of him into the distance. A confident smirk returned to his lips and he revved the motorbike's growling engine, accelerating and easily surpassing the speed limit as the bike roared ferociously across the tarmac. Sylar threw his head back, exposing his face and neck to the biting wind as it tore savagely at his flesh. He simply laughed defiantly at the element, issuing a silent challenge as it rushed his senses. It was exhilarating. Nothing, and no one, was going to stand in his way. Not even Sky.

Sky stirred weakly, her back aching from the position she had maintained for hours, the comforting growl of the motorbike's engine had temporarily ceased to be replaced by the light pattering of rain. They had stopped.

The young woman shivered instinctively at the pleasant tingling sensation produced by rough fingers gently tracing the delicate curve of her trembling lips, before trailing teasingly down her chin, curiously sketching the shape of her exposed, pale throat then lightly brushing her prominent collarbones until the hand rested tenderly over her heart. An uncontrollable tremor ran through Sky's body at Sylar's gentle caresses. For a killer, he was impossibly gentle – when he wanted to be.

"I know you're awake Sky." The calm, mocking voice tickled her ear; a few stray blonde hairs were blown free to fall over Sky's eyes.

The young woman's eyes flickered open sleepily as the rough fingers grazed back up her throat to gently press against her pulse. She watched as the killer towered over her, the weak sunlight sending rays of gold fanning through his dark hair. Sky blinked, Sylar's coal black hair was striped with subtle streaks of a pleasant, honey brown, but she would never have noticed that in any other light.

Sylar smirked as he watched the young woman's eyes trace his features, a slight blush tingeing her cheeks a faint red; similar to the rose tint on the face of lush, summer apple. That was a good analogy for her, he decided.

Before he had chance to engage conscious thought, the killer found himself leaning closer to Sky, capturing her lips in an uncharacteristically gentle kiss. Moments later, he pulled away, satisfied that she was awake. He noticed the faint echo of disappointment in her eyes as his lips left hers, and smirked. There was no doubt that he had found her weakness.

Sky's green-hued eyes wandered up to meet Sylar's dark, glittering ones. He was smirking – again. No big surprise there. But there was another look veiled behind the smirk. A question. A need to know. He was searching for something that she, and only she had the answer to. _What?_

The killer lightly brushed Sky's pale neck with his lips before aligning them with her small ear, once again tickling the shorter golden hairs.

"You know… it would be so easy to kill you now… but why can't I do it? What is stopping me?" It was almost a rhetorical question; aimed at no one and everyone. But in the end, only he knew the answer.

Feeling his mounting frustration, Sky shifted awkwardly, glad to discover that her rest period had restored a considerable amount of her previous strength, enough to repel the killer anyway.

In response to her fidget, Sylar moved closer causing Sky's eyes to widen momentarily as he trapped her slight body against his powerful one, clasping her small hands in his own as he pinned her against the bike. He was in control. He was always in control. But why did he need to telling himself that?

Determined that the killer would see nothing of her fear, Sky stared fearlessly into his unfathomable eyes, knowing that the outcome of this competition was inevitable. He had her exactly where he wanted her. The prey frozen in the path of a predator. The gazelle trapped between a lion's inescapable claws. Yet she was by no extent powerless.

_You're weak Gabriel. _Sky heard the killer think, tilting her head fractionally to improve her reception of the thought-stream. _Weak and a fool._

In that brief, almost imperceptible moment, Sky was sure the killer's eyes flickered to a lighter shade of brown akin to the delicate colour of fallen leaves in autumn. Although it may just have been a trick of the light, she was certain that she had caught a glimpse of the man behind the cold, ruthless, monstrous exterior. If there was such a thing.

He blinked quickly, a rare ghost of emotion sparked across his face, betraying something that he hid with utmost vigilance, before swiftly returning to its usual mask of composed indifference. God, how she hated it when he closed off like that. She watched with interest as her captor lowered his thick eyebrows into a dark frown, lines of consternation creasing his handsome face. Their eyes were joined by an invisible, unbroken thread, holding them together, but tearing the killer apart.

They looked, in unison, to the sky as droplets of cold, bitter liquid dropped onto their contrasting faces; Sky's expression of hope, confusion and curiosity, Sylar's mixed confliction of anger, passion and a hint of fear. He might be physically in control of the situation, but Sky had the mental upper hand.

A single drip of rain splashed onto the young woman's face, drawing the pair's eyes away from the sky, to her pale cheek. The shimmering droplet seemed to be a crystal tear, weaving a steady path down her face to cling desperately to her chin before falling onto Sylar's outstretched arm, which still restrained her smaller frame from movement.

Echoing the incomprehensible display of emotions beneath them, the heavens promptly opened to release their fury on the world beneath.

The merciless element pounded down on the two motionless figures as they remained frozen and unsure, barely breathing as the cascade of water pounded down on them, battering their clothes and hair while coating their exposed skin in a fine sheen of glistening liquid.

The intense contest of stares, the longing of the two to understand, was broken only as an involuntary shiver raked Sky's cold body. Although the killer appeared unaffected and unbothered by the extreme weather, the young woman was beginning to feel the effects of several tonnes of icy water emptying themselves on her head, coupled with the unpleasant feeling produced by rain when it drenches hair only to run a freezing trail down the back of ones neck.

Sylar stared down at the girl, his eyes lingering on her rain-soaked eyelashes which were coated in a fine film of glistening crystal liquid. Then they travelled down to appreciatively eye her pale wet form, trembling helplessly in the downpour.

_She is beautiful. Maybe that is why._ He thought, slowly lifting his hand, breaking the human cage to brush Sky's slick damp hair from her face before gently cupping her cheek. _Maybe._

As if under a spell, unaware of any conscious or logical thought, Sky's eyes flicked between Sylar's soft lips, dark impenetrable eyes, black eyebrows twisted in a serious frown, and his coal-coloured hair slicked sexily across his forehead, clinging to his pale skin as the rain kissed his face.

Why of all people did she have to fall for him? A heartless killer. Was it because he was the only one to understand? Perhaps. Was it because, however much he tried to deny it, he was willing to protect her? One thing was for certain, although he was a killer with psychopathic tendencies, but he was a killer who cared. She was his to protect… and she had betrayed him.

As his muscular figure leaned closer to her, the young woman reached out a hand against his chest, gently propelling him away. She had to tell him the truth. She couldn't stand the lie any longer. It was wrong.

Opening her mouth to speak, Sky found them promptly encased by a comforting warmth, her body immediately warming against the rain as the killer pulled her closer, demonstrating his use as a human radiator. Sky jumped away from the embrace as the wind howled threateningly, like a demented wolf calling to the moon, followed by a resounding 'boom' as the clouds clashed and a streak of lightening lanced jaggedly across the black skies.

Ignoring her recoil, Sylar persisted, crashing his lips against hers and slipping his tongue into her mouth, forcing Sky to forget her previous thoughts as she was overthrown by the passionate gesture. The kiss continued, rain glistening in hair, dark and light, flashes of lightning reflecting in glittering eyes as thunder boomed like a heralding drum roll or the release of a fearsome war cannon.

The battle continued, the struggle for dominance. Lightning against Air. Ice against Fire. Sylar against Sky.

She pulled away, breathless, her chest heaving and her eyes wide as he kissed fervently down her neck, uncontrollable and powerful like an untameable, wild animal. She sighed in relief as he pulled away before lifting her chin with a single finger until her eyes were level with his. They sparkled with a deadly hunger which, Sky knew, had been the last thing many innocent people had seen before greeting their death. Nevertheless, she was not repulsed.

Sylar leaned closer, pulling her head to rest on his shoulder, her legs entwined around his slim waist, his lips caressing her ear before opening to deliver a whispered statement. He wondered for a moment what he was planning to say. 'I love you' would never pass Sylar's lips. So what could he say?

"You're mine." His voice sent chills down Sky's spine, in conjunction with those already caused by the heavy shower of rain. "Mine to kiss. Mine to caress. Mine to protect." Sylar's voice dropped an octave at the last declaration and he kissed Sky firmly on the lips, prolonging the moment for as long as possible.

Sky pulled away uneasily, her eyes dark with an unreadable worry. "Why?"

The monosyllable, the one question which was impossible to answer. Impossible to understand. He understood everything, but not that imploration. He did not know the answer. Why?

Sylar pulled her against his chest, enjoying the feeling of the young woman's slight form trembling against him. He rested his chin carefully on her drenched hair which had taken on a darker, almost chestnut colouring as the beads of water glittered like miniature diamonds between the strands. He felt her relax against him. _So easy._

"Because you're the only one to show a monster compassion. To accept me for what I am. To understand me." He paused as Sky inhaled sharply and the rain drummed mercilessly against their joined forms. "Because I am Sylar."

Sky bit down hard on her lip, pulling back slightly and diverting her gaze to the ground. Sylar momentarily wondered if he had done something wrong – no… she was wrong, not him. Cautiously, she began to work free of his embrace, gently lifting his arms from her waist and attempting to remove her legs from his middle. But he was Sylar. He was in charge. He swiftly pulled her thighs back to his waist and tilted Sky's face until she looked directly into his dark eyes. His eyelashes were coated with a fine film of raindrops, making them appear longer than usual. _Beautiful. _ She thought.

"What?" The killer asked quietly, effortlessly holding her gaze as he raised a dignified eyebrow in query.

"Whatever I say next, please remember that you mean a lot… you mean the world to me. Everything you said, I say back." Sky paused as Sylar watched her closely, analysing her expression for any betrayal of the secret she was withholding. He was unsure whether the sparkling droplets running glistening trails down her cheeks were tears or rain. "I…I love you… but –"

Sylar reciprocated with a passionate, hefty kiss, holding her so close to his strong torso that she struggled to draw breath. Apparently he had not been loved in a long time. It saddened her even more. She hated herself.

She enjoyed the sweet taste of him for only brief seconds before firmly pushing him away, her eyes pleading with him to stop. It hurt too much.

"Please don't make this any more difficult." She begged, her breath catching in a sob before she managed to compose herself. Glancing up, she saw that Sylar's eyes had become dark and serious, a hint of worry glittering in their depths as he stared down at her. "Before I came here, I went to the Company." He continued to watch her, his face unreadable and emotionless. "I was scared, terrified, that you would kill so many others…"

Sylar shook his head. "You're lying." He did not want to believe it. The only one he had trusted with a part of himself… she was just like the others…

He glanced down into her sincere, sad eyes, not wanting to believe the truth.

"You're right, as always." Sky sighed, unsure whether to gaze at Sylar or the ground, the ground being the more preferable option. "I did it because I was scared you would kill me – I was selfish. So I told them…" She said with a flat, detachedly emotionless voice before trailing off and biting her lip. Sylar shook her roughly, determined to hear the truth before inevitably attempting to kill her. "I told them that you were alive…"

A silence fell between them. A barrier, almost visible with the tension between the two. Disbelieving, Sylar pulled her face until it was only centimetres from his. He wanted to know if it was true. But it could not be… could it?

"You too." He growled bitterly, his eyes growing cold and hard and his body tensing for the fight ahead.

Sky only expected what was coming as Sylar raised his arm and invisible fingers closed around her throat, closing briefly on her oesophagus before releasing and throwing her carelessly across the rain-splattered countryside.

Agilely pulling herself to her feet, Sky faced Sylar's immense form as he strode closer, his long strides equalling two of her own. The killer's black coat flapped around him menacingly, billowing mysteriously around his lean form before lightning lit the sky, revealing his expression of true, terrible anger.

He paused for a moment, cocking his head slightly, his anger dissipating and the sheer excitement of hunting returning as he heard the familiar increase in heartbeat, pounding like a drum as he leisurely drew closer, holding his prey in place. He smirked; every separate beat sounded like a rumble of thunder, every sharp breath a gale of trepidation. He loved this. He loved to sense their fear. Smell their sweat of sheer terror. Watch their eyes fade as he took everything he needed from their feeble, frail bodies. But Sky…Sky was different. She was feisty. Full of fight and so much more _fun_ than his other – defenceless – victims. A challenge. She was his alone. His special Sky.

But why was it so hard to kill her?

The young woman, breathless and held, paralysed, by the invisible arms of Sylar's telekinesis shook her head slowly, maintaining eye contact with the killer as he circled her pensively, black coat flapping eerily around him as his eyes scanned her like a lion would its prey. Watching. Testing. Calculating… before the final strike.

"Gabriel. Don't do this. You don't _want_ to do this." Sky told him firmly, meeting his hate filled eyes with hers.

He did not _want _to do this? Who was she to tell him what he wanted? A stupid, arrogant woman whom he had so foolishly lowered his barriers for. A part of him was still vulnerable, susceptible to her subtle charms. A part of him that would be permanently destroyed once he had killed Sky and taken her ability, once and for all.

Sylar stopped circling, watching his victim's expression as he tightened his grip on her body. Sky did not respond, her face not betraying any of the physical, or emotional pain she felt as she looked the killer straight in the eye.

Taking a step forward, Sylar raised his eyebrows, a familiar gleam in his eyes that chilled Sky. The gleam of steel decisiveness, merciless precision, the gleam of the Hunger. Of murder.

His grip on her throat tightened. He wanted a reaction.

"Gabriel…" Sky whispered in a quiet warning, her voice harsh and hoarse. She did not want to fight this man, but he really wasn't leaving her with much choice.

Another step. Sky moved her hand a fraction of an inch until her palm faced Sylar's direction as he watched her in a sinister silence. She uttered a silent prayer to a god she had no belief in.

Before the killer had an opportunity to realise what was happening, a large blue sphere of lightning appeared like a spinning, miniature electric planet in Sky's hand then shot directly towards Sylar's towering, black form. The impact of the lightning ball threw the killer over fifteen feet backwards, stunning him.

The killer scowled as he picked himself up, his body tingling with static and twinging with every raindrop that fell on his burning skin. It hurt.

She had not had that ability last time they had fought though. _I guess it's just another one I need to take._ He thought with a smirk as he brushed his crackling sleeves with a scorched hand. _That ability stings like one hell of a bitch…_

Sky watched warily as the killer brushed himself off, a few blue sparks jumping off his clothes and dissipating into the stormy air. Waiting for him to recover was a mistake, she discovered quickly as Sylar lifted a finger and effortlessly slammed Sky to the ground, making her land with a resulting splash in a large puddle. Dirtied and soaked to the skin, the killer pinned Sky to the messy ground, specifically taking care to be sure she could not shut her eyes to switch abilities.

Sylar's eyebrows raised in momentary surprise before he was hurled across the soggy landscape by Sky's reciprocating force. Ragged plants and gnarled trees flew past as dingy green blurs while she watched on with a dark expression on her face. She had certainly mastered her ability to switch powers now, he confirmed darkly.

The killer groaned inaudibly as his back slammed against a young sapling, snapping it in two as it abruptly halted his flight across the landscape. Rubbing his injury, Sylar slowly drew himself up, closely avoiding impaling his foot on one of the stray, sharp fragments of wood on the ground by his feet.

Glaring at his companion-turned-nemesis, Sylar pulled off his coat, which was in shreds before also discarding his ripped shirt which resembled a few strips of thin black material hanging from his shoulders.

The killer straightened himself up, emitting a cold aura which somehow froze the raindrops before they contacted his skin. They dropped to the ground with quiet 'plinks' as the lightning flashed behind him, illuminating the scene dramatically.

Sylar stood, bare-chested and bold, defying the elements as they poured down on him. He was somehow picturesque. Inhuman. His dark eyes shadowed by thick eyebrows. His strong jaw set aggressively. His black hair slicked carelessly across his forehead, framing his ruggedly handsome face. Then his torso, glittering with a rippling sheen of rain which continued to drip from his muscular form, even as the air froze around him. _He was beautiful. Beautiful and deadly._ Sky concluded.

Unexpectedly, the fragments of the sapling Sylar had smashed only moments ago, launched themselves like deadly torpedoes across the stretch of land between them, twirling through the air in an impressive, but lethal formation.

Sky instantly raised her hand to defend herself the sharp fragments, swiftly pausing them in midair before dropping them to the ground with an inaudible clatter. She wanted peace. She did not want to fight him.

Snarling with rage, Sylar glared at her then used his telekinesis to aim the frozen raindrops orbiting his body at the young woman. They spun like tiny diamond daggers, propelled by an unimaginable force as they hurtled towards her. She lifted her arm over her face defensively, realising that she had been too slow to act.

Sky winced as the glass-sharp crystal droplets pierced her skin, embedding themselves in her arm. Scarlet blood spewed in all directions, trickling down her arm, sprayed onto her face and into her drenched hair.

Sylar laughed. Cruelly. He was enjoying this.

Sky bit her lip. There was no time to remove each separate dagger-like missile from her arm now and she could not heal without doing so, she would just have to cope with the pain as it trickled, red-hot and burning from her injured arm. Holding her damaged limb firmly against her body, Sky lifted her head, ready for whatever Sylar was going to throw at her next.

He smirked. She never failed to impress him with her persistence. _Oh well…_ The killer's twisted expression grew yet more horrific as he easily uprooted a nearby tree with his telekinesis, pulling it to his hand before physically hurling it like a javelin towards the injured Sky.

The rain poured like tears from the heavens as Sky cried out as she raised her arms to the skies. A call for some divine assistance. What she received was most unexpected.

The skies lit up, gathering together as they joined with a massive boom of thunder. Sky and Sylar froze in shock as the heavens split and a jet of furious lightning lanced down as if Zeus himself had thrown it, zigzagging through the air until it exploded with a loud bang on the flying tree, halting its progress and causing it to burst into a display of fearsome flames. The fire licked hungrily at the tree; a red, orange and yellow barrier between the two opponents. Separating them and joining them in equal measure.

Drawing their gazes from the skies and its miraculous sprouting of lightning, Sky and Sylar met gazes. This was it. Last to react lost.

They both lifted their hands at the same time, both desperately trying to propel the flaming missile towards the other. It hung, suspended between the two fighters casting eerie shadows on their faces as they frowned, concentrating on the battle of power between them.

A few moments later, both sides were thrown backwards by the power of each others telekinesis, the tree however cart wheeled up into the sky like some strange, deformed angel of fire. Beautiful and lethal as Sky watched it in fascination.

Taking the young woman's momentary distraction to his advantage, Sylar did not hesitate to lift his arm once more, a smirk twisting his face as he pinned the unsuspecting Sky to the wet tarmac road.

She would not win this time. He knew what made her tick. Now he would make her stop. Forever.

_**Really sorry about the cliff hanger, but I couldn't find a good enough place to end, and this seemed as good as any… besides *evil chuckle* if it gets me reviews then I might not do it again… heh.**_

_**Anyway, this originally was meant to be the last chapter, turns out there's a lot more for me to write than I thought… but it's all good!**_

_**So, please tell me what you think of my attempt at improving my writing style, personally I think it's better… but I'm not sure. What do you think?**_

_**Thanks for reading, please review,**_

_**~ TheMastersDaughter**_


	11. Battle

**Two Sides Of The Same Coin**

Sylar slowly strode over to Sky's limp form, draped spread-eagled on the glistening black tarmac as the rain pounded her into the hard ground. His eyes strolled lazily to her bloody arm where a dozen or so miniature glass daggers protruded, turned crimson by the liquid oozing steadily from the young woman's pale limb.

He pressed down harder with his telekinesis, reminding her that he was in control as brutally as he could. Any previous guilt he may have experienced had now gone. He was Sylar. Nothing could change that, not his mother, not the Company, not even Sky. He was a killer.

Sky remained silent as Sylar pushed her against the tarmac, causing the coarse jagged surface to dig uncomfortably into her back. She was determined to prevent him from having the satisfaction of hearing her beg. She flinched involuntarily as an evil smirk twisted Sylar's handsome features into an unnerving, malformed smug expression.

"How long until a vehicle comes along do you reckon?" He asked in a chillingly casual tone, as if discussing the weather over a cup of coffee. Although Sylar was a good actor, Sky noted, even he couldn't mask the pain he felt for her betrayal. She knew that he still had the capacity to care, however much he might deny it. Hopefully he would remember before it was too late.

Sylar lifted an eyebrow at Sky's lack of response, his smirk appeared strained and fake. It was only too obvious that he was fighting a battle within himself to make a decision. He cared about her. But she had betrayed him. Would he let his caring side win, or would the monster triumph?

"Personally," Sylar mused, lowering his voice so Sky could only just hear it over the pattering of rain, "I hope it's a truck. That would be more…entertaining…" He rolled the word around in his mouth, relishing the taste only to find himself unsatisfied. He paused pensively before continuing, "But that would be such a waste of such a precious thing. Maybe I should extract your brain first."

Sky raised her eyes fearlessly to meet his, ignoring his mocking tone as she read his true emotions beneath the cold blank front. She knew from his expression that he hated her searching look, her look of comprehension, of compassion. She knew that he feared her.

"You know it's pointless trying to kill me, I just heal every time." Sky reminded him, her voice hardly any louder than his.

Unable to control his sudden surge of frustration at his failure to inspire fear in the young woman, Sylar subconsciously constricted Sky's lungs with his telekinesis before jerking out of his momentary loss of control. He wanted to watch Sky die, slowly and painfully. He wanted to hear her beg. That would be way more satisfying.

Forcing his tight lips into a strained smirk, Sylar released her from his grip, watching in silence as Sky gasped for air and quickly evened her breathing before glancing up unsurely at the villain.

"I'm gonna enjoy this." Sylar told her softly, his smirk twisting into a wicked grin as his eyes sparkled savagely in the storm.

Sky laughed hoarsely, half defiant and half crazy. "You can't kill me, and you won't."

"Uh-uh." He tutted, mockingly shaking his head at Sky as the rain continued to pound into them, the distant echo of thunder reverberating through the air like the growl of a wild beast. "Remember that last ability I took Sky?" Sylar asked, cocking his head on one side as Sky shook her head firmly. "Ohh, you were there."

Sky's body shook impulsively as a familiar weakness began to seep through her limbs. It was happening again. She felt helpless, trapped. Last time Sylar had saved her, now he was using the ability against her. "No…" She whispered, looking imploringly into Sylar's dark eyes.

The killer simply winked in response as he drew closer, towering over her helpless form while keeping her pinned helplessly against the wet road with one hand extended in front of him.

The feeling of Sky's energy seeping into his body was intoxicating. Within a matter of minutes the young woman would be at his mercy, weak, helpless and completely under his control.

Resisting the strong urge to panic as her life force drained from her body, Sky focused on the pouring rain pounding on her face. It was vital that she kept calm.

"You're forgetting something too." Sky gasped, causing Sylar to raise a disbelieving eyebrow at her, "I also can use his ability!"

Sky felt an addictive rush as Sylar staggered heavily, grasping his midriff while in contrast, she felt a correlating burst of energy relieve the fatigue burning her tiring limbs. The sensation of invulnerability, of complete control over another person was dangerously thrilling and elating. For a moment, Sky understood what it must be like to have the Hunger.

Sky smirked darkly as Sylar's telekinetic grip on her body loosened. Switching powers once more, the young woman glowed dangerously with her luminescence, momentarily blinding Sylar before using her own telekinetic power to throw him across the road to the opposing side.

Landing in a spray of dirt-tainted water, Sylar looked up at Sky as she sneered down at him triumphantly. _So she thinks she's won does she?_ He lifted a dark eyebrow at her expression. _How wrong she is… _Sylar let a dark chuckle as he rose to his feet, drawing himself up by some invisible force. His malicious grin grew wider at the brief flicker of concern in Sky's eyes as she heard his thoughts. So that was how she was going to play it. He'd just have to reciprocate.

"Ah Sky," Sylar sighed, almost wearily. It would be a shame to end this fight so soon, but she wasn't leaving him with much choice. "Did you _really_ think I'd make the same mistake twice?"

"What do you mean? What mistake?" Sky questioned with a frown, unable to prevent a hint of fear from entering her voice at the killer's confident, unfazed expression and relaxed manner.

There was a long silence as Sylar considered the girl in front of him, watching as she shivered undetectably in the cold showers of rain. The thunder had faded to a distant, unthreatening rumble by now, and the lightning occasionally lit the skies like a faulty display light.

"Underestimating you. You're quite the _talented_ young woman." He shook his head in mock sadness before allowing his twisted smirk to contort his face once more. "It's _such_ a shame you can't absorb energy and heal at the same time..."

Before Sky had a chance to realise the meaning of his words or prepare herself, Sylar produced a knife which he had earlier concealed in his belt and brutally plunged it into her exposed chest.

"No…" Sky gasped, recoiling from the killer as she gripped the sharp implement embedded in her gut. She was trapped, backed into a corner, outwitted. If she healed herself now, she would be unable to stop the killer from draining the frail remnants of her life energy. Sylar was cunning and he had her precisely where he wanted her.

Unable to control her body's impulses, Sky let out a deep breath of relief as her body rejected the knife piercing her chest, pushing it away from her delicate tissues and sending it to clatter uselessly at her feet. She looked down to watch as the gaping wound beneath her ribcage slowly knitted together and formed a new, unblemished layer of skin.

A sudden tremor wracked Sky's body and she glanced up to meet Sylar's dark, glittering eyes. For all his cruelty, he couldn't hide the spark of remorse burning behind the barrier of hate. But it wasn't enough to stop him from killing her. She shuddered as he took several steps closer; body gleaming in the half light as the rain gradually began to diminish its assault on the humans below.

"So Sky," His calm voice sent a cold chill down Sky's spine, causing her to instinctively back away to even the distance between the two opponents, "Guess taking that ability didn't really help you much." Sky shook her head slightly, taking another step backwards to almost trip over a dead tree stump. Sylar's eyes darkened and he easily reached out to quell Sky's clumsy movements, binding her with his telekinesis once more. "And I thought you were different," He hissed venomously, "Special. Like me. Turns out you're just like the rest."

Sky said nothing. Even if she could speak, there would be nothing she could say to deny it. He was right.

"I want to see your face as I kill you." Sylar informed Sky. He was now close enough to touch her as he reached out and lightly ran a finger down her cheek. Sky shut her eyes in reaction to his soft touch. "Sky," His voice was gentle, persuasive, almost seductive, "Open your eyes."

Sky kept her eyes shut. She couldn't bear to see his face anymore. Not like this. This wasn't the Sylar she knew, the Sylar she loved. _Gabriel…_

Frowning at Sky's reluctance, Sylar watched in disdain as the young woman's face grew blank and emotionless, her body tensing and bracing itself for the inevitable pain. Scowling, Sylar slowly raised his fisted hand to head height, extended his index finger then engaged his telekinesis to draw a short but bloody laceration into Sky's scalp.

Sky bit viciously down on her lip, determined to prevent a scream of anguish from escaping her mouth as her forehead burned in agony. She knew that with every moment that passed, the killer was getting even more infuriated by her lack of response. At least she could die with this last, menial victory if naught else.

Blood trickled down Sky's temple. A crimson stream wove a steady, deliberate path down her face, lacing over her skin like thin fiery fingers. She flinched as a drip of scarlet liquid dribbled into the concavity of her eyelid, only to be joined by another, moments later.

Observing in silent fascination Sylar felt an exhilarating rush as another surge of energy flooded his body, heightening his senses whilst prolonging the young woman's torture. This would teach her to resist him. All of his victims bent to his will, in the end.

"Open your eyes." Sylar repeated with a growl, "This will only take longer if you don't."

Sky screwed her eyes shut even tighter. He would not see her fear, her pain as she embraced death. She refused to give him the satisfaction.

Sylar tutted mockingly at Sky's refusal. "I could end it now, you know. So quick." Sky shivered, feeling the killer's warm breath tickle her ear. Her eyelids flickered slightly as she felt the heat of his once welcoming body press lightly against her. "So…painless."

Sylar smirked triumphantly as Sky's eyes flickered open submissively. She was tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of resisting. Tired of pain. She wanted it to end.

He hesitated for a moment. If he killed her, he would be fulfilling her wishes. _Then so be it._

Once again, Sylar lifted his finger, preparing to end it once and for all. There would be no more Sky after this. He faltered for a moment, his finger trembling as he drew it across the young woman's forehead in an attempt to make a clean cut across her scalp.

_You're weak…_ He remembered. Who had said that? 

_No, it's not true, I'm strong now. Different. Special. Once I kill Sky, I'll be unstoppable._ He told himself. After all, he only had to move his finger a fraction of an inch and it would all be over. But his hand continued to tremble.

He met Sky's eyes briefly. Black met grey and for a moment, they reflected one another's expressions. She was the only thing in his way. His special Sky.

Shutting his eyes to prevent himself from falling into Sky's reproachful, sorrowful grey eyes, the killer moved his hand to complete the cut. _Once and for all…_

Sylar's eyes snapped open as a sudden 'whoosh' brushed past him, tickling his skin and blowing his wet hair from his face. Eyes darting from side to side, the killer frowned in disbelief asking one question to the forbidding, empty air.

"Where are you Sky?"

* * *

Sky prepared herself for the final blow as Sylar closed his beautiful eyes, veiling his regret, his reluctance to complete the task and lifting his index finger once more.

What she was unprepared for however, was the sudden exhilaration of flying, the air knocked from her lungs as a hard object hurtled into her before spiralling uncontrollably into the sky. Glancing over her shoulder, Sky gratefully met the eyes of her rescuer as they drifted back downwards, unable to stay airborne in the strong winds. The gentle arms wrapped around Sky's midriff released her as they made an elegant landing on the slippery ground. Her rescuer lightly touched her cheek with an affectionate hand before a resounding roar reached them across the landscape.

"Peter Petrelli." Sylar's booming voice echoed loudly with the extra enforcement of one of his abilities. He hadn't expected this. But at least he would get two abilities for the price of one now. The killer smirked as he approached the hero and the young woman with several long confident strides.

"Sylar." Peter responded simply, protectively moving in front of Sky, as if to defend her from Sylar's dark gaze. He would save her.

Sky frowned in confusion as Peter gently pushed her aside to confront Sylar. He was supposed to be dead! She had seen him explode above New York… yet he had come back. To save her. She sent a quick, inquiring look at Peter, but his expression clearly read 'not now'. _Be careful Peter…_ Sky thought as she watched the young man eye Sylar warily, preparing himself for the attack.

"I think you've gotten something of mine." Sylar told Peter, using his head to gesture casually at Sky, then easily jerking his hand to flick the Petrelli aside and pull the young woman closer.

Peter landed awkwardly on the ground before pushing himself out, brushing his dark bangs from his face before lifting his head fearlessly to face the smug Sylar. The Petrelli's eyes burned with a fierce, passionate intensity in response to the look of mild panic which briefly crossed Sky's features as Sylar reached for her with his mind.

"Leave her alone Sylar. She doesn't _belong_ to you." Peter shouted ferociously at the killer, subconsciously shunting Sylar with his own mind and releasing Sky from the taller man's grip. The killer shook his head at Peter's folly, his dark smirk growing wider with anticipation.

Sky quickly moved away from Sylar, limping slightly from the fatigue plaguing her limbs as the killer continued to drain her energy, ounce by ounce. Of course, Peter had no idea about Sylar's newly acquired power. He was in danger.

"So she's yours, _Peter?" _Sylar asked mockingly. "I don't think you realise that Sky is capable of making her own decisions, or are you gonna _protect_" his soft voice gave the words a mocking, bitter caress, "her from that too?"

There was a pause as both men's eyes followed Sky's slow progress across the ground between them. She wasn't heading towards Peter, neither was she heading towards Sylar. Instead, she crawled under the minimal safety of a wind-stripped tree.

"She'd _never_ choose you Sylar. You're a monster. A psychopath." Sylar raised an eyebrow as he briefly made eye contact with Sky, his expression clearly said 'and you _believe_ this guy?' "Don't even touch her again Sylar, or I _will _kill you." Peter's normally gentle voice lowered to a threatening growl. Sensing Sky's discomfort, he quickly sent her a reassuring glance before turning back to the killer.

"No you won't Peter, you're not a killer. You're just a nurse. But I, I can protect Sky." Sylar smirked and subconsciously reached up to push his wet hair from his forehead. "You're just too weak…"

Peter prickled, he was spiked by that comment. After all, he was a hero. Once again, his gaze wandered to meet Sky's. He just wanted to comfort her. To keep her safe. Sylar would never touch her again. "That's crap Sylar, and you know it!" He shouted. _And I'm gonna finish with you so you'll not hurt her again!_

Sky abruptly rose to her feet, this couldn't continue. She couldn't let them fight. Moving forward to stand between the two enemies, the young woman held a hand out either side in an attempt to calm the participants. "Peter, please don't do this." She requested of him gently before turning to Sylar. "Gabri-"  
"Sylar!" Sylar roared angrily, his mood rapidly worsening from mutual dislike for the Petrelli to one of utter loathing.

"Fine, Sylar!" Sky shouted back at the scowling killer. "_Please. _Just leave one another alone!" Her telekinetic ability activated of its own accord, resulting in both opponents moving back a few steps. Sylar sneered at her weak attempt to break up the fight; there was no way he was going to take orders from her.

"Sky, I love you and I wanna protect you. I'm gonna kick Sylar's ass then we'll get out of here." Peter said gently to Sky, extending his hand caringly as he drew closer to the fierce young woman.

Sylar laughed, sounding like something beastly as his voice echoed eerily through the skies. "Protect her?" He scoffed, raising his eyebrow in a dignified manner. "Face it Pete, you're just the scapegoat." The killer finished triumphantly, knowing that his insult would agitate the young hero beyond comprehension. He knew the Petrelli's weakness. He knew what made him tick.

Peter's soft features suddenly twisted into an expression of anger mixed with grim determination. He had reached the end of his leash. Sylar had pushed it just too far. _And he's gonna regret it._ Peter thought.

Telekinetically pushing Sky to the ground, Peter swiftly launched himself into the air then torpedoed across the bleak landscape before crashing violently into Sylar, knocking the stunned killer several meters backwards.

Sneering, Sylar telekinetically threw the Petrelli into the air and rose to his feet before slamming a well-aimed fist into Peter's face. Peter jolted several feet downwards and hit the ground inelegantly to face Sylar eye to eye.

"She's mine. Hear me?" Sylar whispered to the Petrelli in a menacing tone as he reached with his power to close invisible fingers around his opponent's slim throat. Stupid Peter. He should have stayed where he was safe. Where he belonged.

Peter shook his head defiantly, his bleeding face lifting fractionally to meet Sylar's deep black eyes. "Never." He choked, resisting the killer's powerful grip.

"What was that?" Sylar asked threateningly, feigning miscomprehension whilst eyeing his enemy disdainfully. How could the Petrelli think he stood any chance at all against him?

"I said…NEVER!" Suddenly, Peter met Sylar's telekinetic power with his own, after mentally battling for a few moments, he broke free of the killer's grasp and leapt forwards to physically pin him to the ground then ferociously slammed his fist into Sylar's nose, breaking the fragile structure for the second time in a week. The shattered nose ran bloody streams of crimson liquid down the killer's twisted face and a satisfied smile briefly graced Peter's face.

Sky frowned. It was uncharacteristic of Peter to enjoy violence. Struggling against the immense force holding her in place against the ground, Sky groaned. She was too weak to break free, she was unable to help anyone and she was completely useless. Glancing back at the two enemies, she bit her lip. She had to do something…

Sylar smirked up at Peter, unfazed by his broken nose. More importantly, he had succeeded in provoking the young Petrelli. It was funny really. It was so easy, and so effective. The young man was so insecure it took a minimal amount of effort to cause him agro. Now Sky could see he wasn't the real monster. It was everyone else. Then he would kill her.

Smirking, Sylar pulled himself to his feet, only to find that Peter had anticipated his move and was now turning himself invisible. _Damn. Once he's invisible I'm gonna have some trouble._ Sylar cursed silently. A confident smirk crept across his face and with a quick movement of his hand, the killer emptied the entire contents of a puddle onto the no-longer-invisible Petrelli.

"What the hell?" Peter swore. Turning invisible was useless as long as he was on wet ground. Sylar would simply throw muddy water over him to reveal his position. Cursing, the Petrelli turned to take an unexpected swing at Sylar. His eyes widened in surprise as he noticed the killer had moved and was instead standing directly behind the hero.

Within moments Peter found himself flying across the landscape, coming perilously close to a large outcrop of rock before slowing down. Someone had halted his progress before he had impacted and resembled a squished bug on the huge grey boulder behind him. _Sky…_

Still shaking from fatigue, Sky fought the urge to give in. She had to make sure Peter escaped before Sylar drained his strength and killed him. She no longer cared for herself, only that the hero got out safely.

Using all the strength she could muster as an involuntary tear slid down her cheek, Sky used her mind to push Sylar as far away as she could. His black shape almost faded from sight due to the power with which she had pushed him.

Feeling a comforting hand on her shoulder, Sky quickly turned to look into a pair of deep caring brown eyes.

"It's okay." Peter soothed, using the back of his hand to brush the glittering crystal droplet from her cheek. "You did it. Let's go." The hero jerked his head slightly to indicate the risk of Sylar following. "C'mon."

Biting her lip with uncertainty, Sky took one last look at Peter's soft concerned expression before swaying with the inevitable toll of using her ability and collapsing in his outstretched arms.

* * *

Cursing Sky and the Petrelli, Sylar pulled himself to his feet for what felt like the hundredth time that night. He _hated _Peter. And Sky wasn't much better. Especially as a part of him still had a weakness for her. A weakness he would soon deal with. One way or another.

Sylar cocked his head slightly. Yes. He could still make out Sky and Petrelli's voices in the distance. Perhaps if he was quick enough he could catch them. Just as the killer prepared to rush to find his nearby victims, he heard a sudden unidentifiable sound snap behind him. It was quiet, even to his hearing, but not altogether inaudible. Like a twig crunching beneath a person's foot.

Sylar spun around instinctively, lifting a hand to prevent his ambusher from taking further action. Whoever they were. His eyes narrowed and his dark brows lowered as he took in the strange appearance of the tall serious dark-skinned man staring dispassionately at him.

Casually flicking a finger to pull his ambusher closer, Sylar's confident expression turned to one of surprise as his ability failed to do anything. Frowning, Sylar took an involuntary step back and attempted to merge into the darkness behind him. That wouldn't work either. In a last, desperate attempt to get his ability to work, Sylar tried to hear the statue-like man's heartbeat. Nothing.

Beginning to feel a dawning sense of realisation, Sylar glanced up to meet his mysterious observer's blank eyes. The killer's own heartbeat increased in pace as his ambusher stepped closer, towering over even his immense height and extending his hand, palm flat towards Sylar's face.

Vaguely aware of the astounding silence, Sylar tried to duck away from the dark-man's grasp, but before he could his ambusher moved faster and closed his hand over the killer's forehead.

* * *

Sylar collapsed unconscious at the Haitian's feet. Sure that his target was unresponsive, he carefully removed his hand from the killer's forehead then glanced back over his shoulder to where his partner was hidden.

The blonde smirked triumphantly, walking with an overconfident swagger as she joined her partner to peer down at their prize. "Good little Gabriel." She paused and smirked up the indifferent Haitian. "And good little Sky." After all, it was only a matter of time before the unknowing young woman led them straight to their next target.

* * *

_**Okay, this chapter DEFINITELY didn't go the way it was meant to… oh well… I hope it's okay.**_

_**Anyways, at least two more chapters 'till the end of this season and lots of Peter in the next chapter…**_

_**Please review for more!**_

_**~ FreeXFallXPhoenix (Ex. TheMastersDaughter)**_


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